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FAMOUS  BUILDINGS 


CENTURY  FINE  ART  SERIES 
FOR  YOUNG  READERS 

By  Charles  L.  Barstow 

FAMOUS  PICTURES.  Descriptions  of  paint- 
ings with  many  anecdotes  of  painters  and  much 
information  about  the  art  and  its  appreciation. 

79  lUustrations.    Glossaries.   Tables.    Pronounc- 
ing Vocabulary.     i2mo.    245  pages. 


FAMOUS  BUILDINGS.  A  Primer  of  Archi- 
tecture. Containing  a  brief  history  of  the  subject 
with  anecdotes,  and  descriptions  of  typical  build- 
ings and  their  characteristics. 

q6  Illustrations.    Glossary.     Tables.     Pronounc- 
ing Vocabulary.     i2mo.    253  pages. 


FAMOUS  SCULPTURE.  Descriptions  of  fa- 
mous works  of  Sculpture,  anecdotes  of  Sculptors, 
and  information  about  the  art. 

iro  Illustrations.  Glossary  of  terms.  Pro- 
nouncing Vocabulary,  and  brief  accounts  of 
mythological  characters.     i2mo.    250  pages. 


FAMOUS  BUILDINGS 


A  PRIMER  OF  ARCHITECTURE 


BY 

Charles  L.  Barstow 

Author  of  "Famous  Pictures,"  etc. 


NEW  YORK 
THE  CENTURY  CO. 


Copyright,  1915,  by 
The  Century  Co 


Printed  in   U.  S.  A. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


PAGE 


Introductory.     A  Word  About  Architecture  .      .       3 

Egyptian  Architecture 20 

Greek  Architecture 31 

Roman  Architecture 49 

Early  Christian  Architecture 71 

Byzantine   Architecture      . yj 

Saracenic   Architecture 85 

Romanesque  Architecture 93 

The  Castle 11 1 

Gothic  Architecture 123 

The  Renaissance  . 157 

After  the  Renaissance 201 

Famous  Buildings  in  America 206 

Oriental  Architecture 217 

List  of  Proper  Names 221 

Glossary  of  Terms  Used  in  Architecture  ,      .      .  227 

Table  of  Buildings 235 

Index 241 


PUBLISHER'S  NOTE 

The  chief  object  of  this  Httle  book  is  to  stimulate 
youthful  readers.  It  is  believed  that  it  will  help  to  form 
correct  judgment  and  taste  and  that  its  elementary  pres- 
entation of  the  leading  styles  in  Architecture,  and  their 
setting  in  time  and  place,  will  be  welcomed  by  many  who 
have  hitherto  sought  in  vain  for  just  such  information 
in  compact  form. 

Its  brief  summaries  of  principles,  periods,  and  styles; 
its  glossaries  of  terms  and  lists  of  proper  names  pro- 
nounced and  explained  and  its  classified  lists  of  buildings 
in  many  cities,  should  make  it  useful  as  a  reference  book 
for  the  home  and  school.  It  brings  together  a  body  of 
knowledge  on  an  important  subject  in  readable  form  in 
a  way  not  attempted  before,  and  is  suited  to  use  as  a 
reader,  or  as  a  handbook  for  classes,  clubs  or  reading  cir- 
cles.  The  occasional  intimate  biographical  matter  is 
intended  to  interest  in  the  same  way  as  that  contained 
in  "  Famous  Pictures  "  by  the  same  author,  which  has 
proved  widely  popular. 

Competent  authorities  have  read  and  approved  the 
manuscript. 


Architecture  can  want  no  commendation  where  there  are 
noble  men,  or  noble  minds.  —  Sir  Henry  Wotten. 

Architecture  is  a  species  of  language.  It  tells  us  as  much  of 
Greece  as  Homer  did,  and  more  of  the  middle  ages  than  has 
been  expressed  in  literature.  ^-  Eidlitz. 

Architecture  is  the  printing  press  of  all  ages,  and  gives  a 
history  of  the  state  of  society  in  which  it  was  erected. 

—  Morgan. 

The  more  you  spend  on  architects,  the  less  you  will  have  to 
spend  on  prisons.  — John  Burns. 

Every  genuine  work  of  art  has  as  much  reason  for  being  as 
the  earth  and  the  sun.  .  .  .  We  cannot  look  at  works  of  art  but 
they  teach  us  how  near  man  is  to  creating.  Michaelangelo  is 
largely  filled  with  the  Creator  that  made  and  makes  men.  .  .  . 
Meantime  be  it  remembered,  we  are  artists  ourselves,  each  one, 
competing  with  Phidias  and  Raphael  in  the  production  of  what 
is  graceful  and  grand.  — Emerson. 


FAMOUS  BUILDINGS 


FAMOUS  BUILDINGS 

INTRODUCTORY 

A   WORD  ABOUT  ARCHITECTURE. 

The  earliest  records  we  have  of  man,  centuries  before 
the  building  of  the  first  temples  that  bordered  the  Nile, 
are  found  in  the  remains  of  his  ancient  dwellings.  The 
building  instinct,  the  desire  for  a  home  that  would  shelter 
him  from  the  elements  and  from  wild  beasts,  marked 
man's  development  from  brute  nature.  In  many  places 
this  first  home  was  a  cave  scooped  from  the  earth  in  a 
hillside  or  was  hewn  out  of  the  rock,  with  a  boulder  serv- 
ing as  a  doorway.  In  others  it  was  woven  of  reeds  or 
formed  from  the  boughs  of  trees.  Man's  dawning  in- 
telligence taught  him  to  use  the  material  that  could  be 
most  easily  adapted  to  the  walls  of  his  shelter.  Even 
to-day  many  races  still  live  as  primitively  as  their  fore- 
fathers ages  ago.  You  see  it  in  the  skin  tepee  of  the 
Indian,  in  the  ice-built  igloo  of  the  Arctic  Circle,  and  in 
the  adobe  or  mud  hut  of  the  torrid  regions.  But,  so  long 
as  the  houses  were  built  only  for  protection  against  heat, 
cold,  and  rain,  we  do  not  speak  of  their  architecture. 
It  is  when  they  combine  a  certain  grace  and  beauty  with 
their  usefulness  that  building  them  becomes  an  art.  Thus 
architecture  came  gradually  into  being,  in  the  growth  of 
the  first  great  nations. 

3 


4  Famous  Buildings 

Four  thousand  years  ago,  in  Greece,  it  attained  the 
highest  point  it  has  reached  in  what  we  call  proportion 
and  beauty  of  line;  the  great  buildings  of  the  Roman 
Empire  gave  it  the  majesty  and  dignity  that  comes  from 
size  and  mass;  while  in  the  cathedrals  of  medieval  Eu- 
rope it  found  a  new  and  more  splendid  form.  To-day 
America  is,  above  all  others,  the  building  nation,  and 
the  style  of  architecture  that  we  are  developing  will  tell 
to  the  future  the  story  of  the  progress  of  our  artistic 
ideals  and  our  civilization.  Just  as  climate  changed  the 
form  of  primitive  dwellings,  so  it  influences  the  archi- 
tecture of  highly  civilized  nations.  As  society  grew  more 
complex  people  gathered  together  in  great  cities,  religion, 
wealth,  and  the  ideas  of  the  people  began  to  determine 
the  character  of  their  buildings,  as  well  as  the  location 
and  the  materials  of  which  they  were  constructed. 

Let  -us  see  how  climate  varies  the  type.  If  you  have 
lived  in  the  North,  you  will  know  why  a  different  kind 
of  building  is  more  appropriate  there  than  in  the  hot 
South,  where  protection  from  the  sun  is  the  chief  con- 
sideration. In  one  place  we  build  to  keep  warm,  in  the 
other  to  keep  cool.  In  the  snow  lands,  there  are  steep 
roofs  to  let  the  snow  slide  off  so  that  the  roof  will  not  be 
crushed  by  so  great  a  weight.  In  hot  countries,  the 
houses  are  usually  built  around  a  court-yard,  and  have 
a  flat  roof  on  which  the  people  gather  in  the  evening. 

What  has  building  material  to  do  with  it?  That 
is  even  plainer.  Where  clay  is  abundant  we  shall  find 
many  houses  and  public  buildings  of  brick.  When  a 
country  is  young  and  there  are  forests  everywhere,  lumber 
will  be  plentiful  and  cheap,  and  the  great  majority  of  the 


Introductory  5 

buildings  will  be  constructed  of  wood.  This  applies  at 
the  present  time  to  our  own  country,  where,  outside  of 
our  large  cities,  wooden  structures  are  almost  universal. 
In  Europe,  on  the  other  hand,  where  the  forests  are  few 
and  carefully  guarded,  stone  and  concrete  take  its  place. 

What  has  religion  to  do  with  building?  Religion  in- 
spired the  Greeks  to  design  their  beautiful  temples,  in 
order  that  their  place  of  worship  might  be  worthy  of 
their  gods.  In  the  Middle  Ages  the  same  spirit  of  de- 
votion impelled  men  to  spend  years  of  toil  erecting  the 
great  cathedrals. 

And  wealth?  A  prosperous  people  will  have  better 
and  more  permanent  buildings.  They  will  be  able  to 
maintain  great  architects  who  will  give  their  whole  time 
to  designing  and  building  beautifully  and  suitably  for  all 
the  practical  and  artistic  needs  of  life.  The  treasures 
of  monarchs  and  princes  have  produced  countless  castles 
and  palaces  in  Europe,  while  in  America,  libraries  and 
buildings  of  charity  have  been  sown  broadcast  over  the 
land,  through  the  wealth  of  private  individuals. 

These  are  only  a  few  causes  that  have  resulted  in  the 
manifold  developments  in  the  art  of  building.  It  is  a 
process  of  growth  that  never  really  ceases ;  even  the  de- 
cay and  ruin  of  a  civilization  does  not  prevent  the  spread 
of  its  architectural  ideals.  The  creation  of  the  type  of 
edifice  that  we  call  the  sky-scraper  in  the  United  States 
during  the  last  few  years,  may  be  cited  as  an  instance 
of  this  growth,  although  it  had  for  its  immediate  cause 
the  narrowness  of  the  island  on  which  the  city  of  New 
York  was  founded. 

As  you  progress  in  the  study  of  the  types  of  buildings, 


6  Famous  Buildings 

you  will  see  that  every  building  ought  to  mean  some- 
thing definite,  and  should  have  an  outward  as  well  as 
an  inward  fitness  to  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  to  be 
used.  A  church  ought  to  be  quite  different  from  a 
jail,  and  a  department  store  or  a  factory  should  not  look 
like  either.  The  man  who  builds  his  dwelling  in  a  vil- 
lage street  to-day  so  that  it  looks  like  a  medieval  castle, 
or  the  committee  that  erects  a  school  that  resembles  a 
jail,  has  made  a  mistake  for  which  there  is  no  excuse; 
a  mistake  which,  with  the  simplest  knowledge  of  the  main 
buildings  of  the  world  and  their  meaning,  would  have 
been  utterly  impossible. 

During  the  development  of  architecture,  in  the  dif- 
ferent countries  and  through  the  different  ages  of  the 
world,  certain  distinct  styles  of  building  have  grown 
into  being.  There  are  not  very  many  different  styles, 
because  each  one  was  hundreds  of  years  in  becoming  per- 
fected. At  length,  one  building  in  particular,  or  a  few 
buildings,  represented  the  very  best  in  all  that  long  growth. 

The  purpose  of  this  book  is  to  show  the  reader  the  es- 
sential features  of  the  most  perfect  buildings,  and  to  give 
a  slight  idea  of  the  life  of  the  time  which  they  repre- 
sented. If  you  can  once  discover  the  reason  why  Greek 
architecture  is  called  the  most  beautiful  in  the  world,  or 
understand  how  and  why  the  different  styles  grew  and 
developed,  you  will  be  able  to  judge  the  appropriateness 
or  the  faults  of  the  buildings  that  are  being  erected  in 
your  own  town  or  city  to-day.  With  such  a  knowledge, 
the  old  church  in  your  neighborhood,  the  library,  the 
city  hall,  or  the  state  house  will  have  a  new  significance 
and  a  deep  interest  to  you.     This  knowledge  is  not  dif- 


Introductory  7 

ficult  to  attain,  for  you  need  not  go  deeply  into  the  sub- 
ject. In  the  past,  and  particularly  in  the  Middle  Ages, 
it  was  an  indispensable  part  of  education.  Boys  and 
girls  were  taught  to  appreciate  the  art  and  beauty  in  the 
midst  of  which  they  lived. 

At  the  present  time  we  are  suffering  from  the  neglect 
of  these  studies,  a  neglect  that  has  produced  the  ugly, 
misshapen  buildings  that  disfigure  the  streets  of  nearly 
every  community  in  the  country.  We  are  beginning 
to  understand  that  ugly  surroundings  are  responsible 
for  ugly  conditions.  A  new  spirit  is  sweeping  over  the 
country,  a  belief  in  the  value  of  beauty,  whether  it  is 
in  the  home  or  in  a  public  building.  You  cannot  begin 
too  early  to  understand  its  meaning. 

THE    PRINCIPLES   OF    ARCHITECTURE. 

Nearly  every  boy,  who  knows  anything  about  the 
woods,  or  who  lives  near  a  stream,  has  built,  or  has 
tried  to  build,  a  house  for  himself. 

Perhaps  it  was  only  a  cabin  of  logs  and  brush,  or  if 
he  could  get  the  material,  a  frame  shack  big  enough  to 
hold  a  table,  a  stove,  a  bunk  or  two,  and  his  canoe.  Even 
in  constructing  such  a  simple  and  elementary  affair,  the 
young  builder  had  to  consider  two  things.  His  cabin 
must  be  the  right  size  for  his  purpose  and  for  the  place 
where  it  was  to  be  located.  It  must  be  strong  and  well 
built  to  endure  the  winter  winds  and  resist  the  rain  and 
snow. 

Fitness  and  strength  are  thus  the  two  primary  neces- 
sities for  any  building,  from  a  boy's  shack  to  a  great 
temple.     Now  there  are  three  principles  on  which  the  art 


8  Famous  Buildings 

of  architecture  is  founded.  Strength,  and  fitness,  and 
a  third,  beauty. 

Without  fitness  a  building  is  useless,  and  is  conse- 
quently soon  destroyed  or  made  over;  without  strength 
it  falls  to  the  ground;  but  if  it  has  no  beauty  it  is  a  mere 
collection  of  brick  and  stones  and  lumber,  that  does  not 
deserve  to  be  called  architecture,  though  it  may  last  for 
years,  as  a  continual  reminder  of  the  bad  taste  of  the 
builder  and  of  the  people  who  endured  it. 

When  we  say  that  architecture  demands  these  three 
principles,  we  must  understand  what  is  included  in  each 
in  order  to  be  able  to  appreciate  and  judge  the  buildings 
we  are  about  to  examine. 

A  principle  is  simply  another  word  for  a  general  and 
universal  truth,  like  the  principle  in  mathematics,  that 
the  whole  is  equal  to  the  sum  of  all  its  parts.  It  is  a 
cause  that  governs  facts;  an  original  law,  in  obedience 
to  which  facts  exist.  A  fact  may  be  true  to-day  and 
false  to-morrow.  It  may  be  true  to-day  that  the  Wool- 
worth  Building  is  the  tallest  in  the  world.  To-morrow 
it  might  be  false.  But  a  principle  is  a  general  truth 
from  which  others  are  derived,  and  upon  which  many 
facts  may  depend,  and  it  is  true  always.  If  we  state 
our  principles  correctly,  all  facts  will  conform  to  them, 
and  if  any  one  tells  us  anything,  which  does  not  agree 
with  a  principle,  we  may  know  at  once  that  he  is  mis- 
taken. Principles  are  much  more  useful  than  facts  and, 
if  we  are  sure  of  a  few  principles,  we  can  afford  to  for- 
get many  facts. 

Take  the  first  principle  of  architecture  that  we  men- 
tioned, fitness.     It  has  to  do  with  the  practical  uses  of 


Introductory  9 

buildings,  their  convenience  and  arrangement.  A  city 
hall,  for  instance,  should  be  large  enough  properly  to 
represent  the  community,  and  it  should  be  dignified,  be- 
cause it  is  a  visible  symbol  of  law  and  order.  It  this 
sense  the  fitness  of  all  of  the  great  buildings  of  history, 
even  of  ancient  times,  is  most  apparent.  Perfection  in 
this  detail  means  that  the  building  fits  into  its  surround- 
ings as  if  Nature  herself  had  been  the  architect.  The 
Romans  went  much  further  than  the  Egyptians  and 
Greeks,  and  consciously  planned  their  buildings  with  skill 
and  science.  To-day  it  is  almost  the  chief  requirement 
of  a  building,  for  under  it  come  the  many  modern  neces- 
sities of  heating,  lighting,  ventilation,  elevators,  and  drain- 
age, as  well  as  its  adaptation  to  the  special  purposes  of  the 
building;  that  is,  to  the  purpose  for  which  it  has  been 
created. 

In  addition,  fitness  is  concerned  with  location  and 
climate.  As  we  have  seen,  in  a  country  where  there  is 
much  snow  we  have  a  steep  roof,  while  in  the  hot  re- 
gions the  flat  roof  serves  as  an  additional  floor  after 
sundown.  Fitness  may  have  an  even  deeper  and  greater 
meaning  when  the  architect  attempts  to  express  in  his 
design,  his  ideals,  or  his  religion. 

Under  the  second  great  principle  of  architecture, 
strength,  come  practical  problems  of  making  a  building 
secure  and  durable.  We  shall  see  how  the  forms  of 
buildings  often  grew  out  of  the  necessity  of  making  them 
strong.  The  Greeks  used  the  perpendicular  and  right- 
angled  construction,  derived  from  the  lintel  and  post  of 
their  earliest  dwellings.  This  fixed  the  type  of  their 
buildings.     The  Romans  used  the  round  arch  as  the  basis 


10  Famous  Buildings 

of  their  immense  development  of  the  art  under  the  Em- 
pire, and  as  a  result  their  buildings  look  very  different. 

The  third  general  principle  in  architecture  is  beauty, 
and  this  is  quite  as  essential  as  the  others.  The  causes 
for  the  beauty  of  a  building  lie  partly  in  the  material,  its 
color  or  its  texture,  or  in  the  form  of  the  building  (which 
is  so  important  that  we  shall  have  to  study  it  in  some 
detail),  or  in  the  expression  of  the  building  as  produced 
by  its  character,  association,  novelty,  or  structure.  It 
may  be  a  combination  of  some,  or  all  of  these  things, 
or  some  other  thing  altogether. 

The  table  on  the  following  page,  as  given  by  Mr.  Sid- 
ney Fiske  Kimball,  will  help  us  to  remember  the  above 
classification*  and  later  on  some  of  the  words  will  be 
more  fully  examined. 

The  three  great  divisions  of  a  building  are  the  walls, 
the  roof,  and  the  windows  or  openings.  Another  divi- 
sion might  be  made  into  six  parts :  first,  the  floor  or  plan ; 
second,  the  walls;  third,  the  roof;  fourth,  the  openings, 
doors,  windows,  etc. ;  fifth,  the  columns  and  supports ; 
and  sixth,  the  ornaments  and  decorations.  It  is  the  style, 
shape,  and  dimensions  of  these  different  parts  that  deter- 
mine to  which  of  the  few  great  styles  of  architecture  any 
building  belongs. 

Most  obvious  to  the  average  person  are  the  general 
shape  of  the  mass  of  the  building,  determined  by  the 
roof  and  walls;  the  effect  produced  by  the  openings  be- 
ing pointed,  rounded,  or  horizontal ;  and  the  presence  or 
absence  of  columns;  but  ornament  and  decoration  are 
also  very  important  and  essential  things. 

In  a  book  like  this  we  can  say  very  little  about  orna- 


Introductory 


11 


ment,  although  it  is  so  great  and  essential  a  part  of  a 
building.  Absence  of  moldings  alone  would  change  the 
entire  appearance  of  any  great  building. 


Fitness 


Strength 


Beauty 


TABLE  OF  ESSENTIALS. 

Convenience  for  practical  uses. 

Separation  of  public  and  private  portions. 

Access  to  all  parts. 

Good  lighting,  ventilation,  drainage,  etc. 

Suitability  of  character. 

Fitness  to  surroundings. 

Materials. 
Structure : 

Walls,  beams,  arches,  vaulting,  roofs. 

In  materials  —  color,  texture. 

In  form,  mass,  proportion,  ornament,  repetition, 

sequence,  balance   symmetry. 
In  expression  of: 

Materials  and  structure. 

Purpose,  character. 

Arrangement  of  parts. 

Environment,  national  and  racial  culture. 

Personality  of  the  artist. 

Historic  associations,  etc. 


As  we  examine  the  pictures  and  study  the  buildings  in 
this  book  let  us  think  of  them  with  reference  to  the 
"  Table  of  Essentials."  If  a  building  in  the  book  or  one 
that  we  see  in  our  travels  pleases  and  satisfies  us,  let  us 
apply  the  principles  in  trying  to  discover  what  is  the 
cause  that  produces  the  pleasure  and  satisfaction.     Or 


12  Famous  Buildings 

if  one  displeases  us,  let  us  try  to  discover  what  is  wrong 
about  it,  what  there  is  that  does  not  conform  to  the  true 
principles  of  building. 

THE   TERMS    USED   IN    ARCHITECTURE. 

It  is  very  important  to  know  the  meanings  of  terms 
used  in  architecture. 

We  all  know  the  meaning  of  floor,  wall,  roof,  door,  and 
window.  We  could  not  describe  a  house  without  them. 
If  we  did  describe  a  house  in  these  words  and  our  reader 
did  not  know  their  meanings,  he  would  have  no  idea  what 
we  were  talking  about.  Yet  people  constantly  read 
works  and  guide-books,  who  do  not  know  the  precise 
meaning  of  such  common  and  necessary  terms  as  capi- 
tal, clerestory,  crypt,  order,  nave,  pediment,  spandrel, 
transept,  tympanum,  and  so  forth.  These  and  several 
more  must  be  understood.  It  is  not  enough  to  look  them 
up  that  you  may  understand  some  given  description,  they 
should  be  learned  by  heart.  It  is  a  thousand  times  worth 
while  to  do  so.  They  are  the  keys  that  unlock  many 
doors. 

(An  alphabetically  arranged  glossary  of  architectural 
terms,  and  also  of  the  Proper  Names  mentioned,  will  be 
found  at  the  end  of  the  volume.) 

•       THE   STORY   OF   ARCHITECTURE. 

The  history  of  architecture  tells  the  story  of  the  de- 
velopment of  the  art  of  building.  Nations  have  risen 
from  the  darkness  of  the  past,  and  have  attained  great 
power  and  culture,   only  to  sink  into  obscurity  again. 


Introductory  13 

leaving,  as  the  only  evidence  of  their  greatness,  the  ruins 
of  forgotten  temples  and  of  cities  that  once  swarmed 
with  life.  So  the  study  of  buildings  is,  in  its  broadest 
sense,  a  preparation  for  the  study  of  history  and  of  civil- 
ization itself. 

Before  beginning  to  examine  the  "  type  buildings " 
that  we  have  selected  for  special  study,  let  us  take  a 
bird's-eye  view  of  the  whole  field,  remembering  that  the 
styles  of  architecture  form  a  continuous  development 
from  first  to  last.  The  spirit  of  each  age  of  the  world 
has  determined  the  changes  made  from  the  style  of  the 
preceding  age,  and  a  knowledge  of  the  buildings  that 
represent  the  main  types  will  be  of  everyday  service  to 
any  one  who  reads  books  and  newspapers  and  talks  with 
intelligent  people. 

Those  ancient  peoples,  the  Assyrians,  the  Chinese,  the 
Japanese,  and  the  inhabitants  of  India,  represent  the 
earliest  of  architectures,  but  they  had  little  influence  upon 
the  great  historical  buildings  we  are  to  study,  and  we 
may  regard  them  more  as  curiosities  than  as  objects  of 
study. 

Following  these  nations  came  the  Egyptians,  the 
Greeks,  and  the  Romans,  in  the  order  named.  The 
architectures  of  these  peoples  we  still  imitate  to-day  and 
we  need  to  know  as  much  as  possible  about  the  buildings 
they  erected. 

The  Byzantine,  Romanesque,  and  Saracenic  architec- 
tures next  came  into  being  and  were  developed,  while, 
from  the  thirteenth  to  the  fifteenth  centuries,  the  Gothic 
style  led,  developing  widely  and  in  slightly  different  ways 
in  all  the  leading  countries  of  Europe. 


14  Famous  Buildings 

Then  came  the  great  intellectual  awakening  of  the 
fifteenth  century  called  the  Renaissance,  which  produced 
the  great  painters,  the  great  sculptors,  and  the  great 
builders  of  the  next  three  hundred  years.  From  that  day 
to  this  there  has  been  little  new,  but  revivals  and  com- 
binations of  old  styles  have  ruled  the  building  of  the 
times. 

The  different  styles  are  most  easily  fixed  in  the  mind 
by  means  of  pictures  of  the  best  buildings  of  these  types. 
It  will  give  a  foretaste  of  what  these  succeeding  styles 
are  like  if  we  think  of  the  subject  under  the  following 
elementary  classification. 


Architecture  of  the  Beam  or  Lintel.  In  this  type 
all  windows  or  openings  are  spanned  by  a  straight  beam. 
Such  was  the  work  of  the  Egyptians,  the  Persians,  and 
the  Greeks.  An  example  of  lintel  construction  is  given 
in  Figure  8 

II 

Architecture  of  the  Round  Arch.  This  class  includes 
all  buildings  in  which  such  openings  are  spanned  by  a 
semicircular  arch.  The  Assyrians  and  the  Etruscans 
employed  it.  The  Romans  employed  it  later,  and  used 
it  zvith  the  beam.  The  styles  using  this  structure  are 
the  Romanesque,  the  Norman,  and  the  Byzantine.  A 
simple  example  of  arch  construction  is  the  illustration  on 
page  52. 


Introductory  15 

III 

Architecture  of  the  Pointed  Arch.  Buildings  in  which 
the  pointed  arch  is  used  include  the  Mohammedan  in  the 
East  and  the  Gothic  in  the  West.  Simple  examples  of 
pointed  arches  will  be  found  on  pages  133  and  141. 

IV 

Renaissance.  The  combination  of  lintel  construction 
with  Greco-Roman  ornamentation.  This  style  began 
with  the  fifteenth  century  and  spread  rapidly.  Michael- 
angelo  was  one  of  its  greatest  exponents.  Look  at  the 
pictures  on  pages  163  and  176  for  details  of  this  combina- 
tion style. 

CHRONOLOGICAL   TABLE. 

The  following  table  will  be  helpful  for  easy  reference, 
as  well  as  for  preliminary  study,  and  will  enable  us  to 
see  the  relation  of  any  style  of  building  to  other  buildings 
in  time  and  place. 


i6 


Famous  Buildings 


CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE 


KIND    AND 

TYPE 

MEN    OF 

CHARACTERISTIC 

PLACE 

BUILDINGS 

Pyramids 

PROMINENCE 

FEATURES 

Egyptian 

Rulers       and 

Solidity,  slanting 

Temple  Edfou 

architects 

lines,  columns. 

(late) 

Luxor,     Kar- 

nac 

Greek 

Parthenon 

Phidias 

Three     orders     of 

Erechtheum 

Pericles 

columns,        sculp- 
tui-al  decoration, 
simplicity  and  per- 
fect proportions. 

Roman 

Colosseum 

Iktinus     (Ar- 

Rounded arch ; 

Pantheon 

chitect    of 

vaulting,  dome 

Arches 

the     Parthe- 

Practical       useful- 

Palaces 

non) 

ness. 

Temples 

Emperors 

Engineering  works ; 

Nero 

theaters,  etc. 

Flavins 

Paneling  and   dec- 

Hadrian 

oration. 

Vespasian 

Diocletian 

Early      Chris- 

S. Apollinare, 

Constantine 

Broad  nave,  rows 

tian 

Ravenna 

of  columns  and 

St.    Paul's 

side-aisles   and 

without  the 

clerestory ;   wood 

walls,   Rome 

roof,  atrium  in 

(rebuilt 

front,   plain   exte- 

1821) 

rior,  rich  interior 

Basilicas 
Mosque  of 

Mohammedan 

Mohammed 

Beautiful    domes. 

Saracenic 

Cordova 

colored    tiles    and 

Sassanian 

Alcazar 

decoration,        ara- 

Arabic 

Alhambra 

besques  ;  geometri- 

Moresque,  etc. 

Taj  Mahal 

cal,  slender  inter- 

Agra 

laced  pattern,  min- 
arets, horse  shoe 
arch. 

Romanesque 

Pisa 

Monks    and 

Chiefly   church   ar- 

Eleventh    and 

San   Mineato, 

rulers 

chitecture. 

twelfth     cen- 

Florence 

rounded  arch, 

turies 

Durham, 

vaulted  stone  ceil- 

England 

ing. 

Introductory 

CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE  — Continued 


17 


KIND    AND 

TYPE 

MEN    OF 

CHARACTERISTIC 

PLACE 

BUILDINGS 

PROMINENCE 

FEATURES 

Gothic, 

Sainte      Cha- 

Maurice  de 

Flying    buttress, 

France 

pelle,    Paris, 

Sully 

pointed    arch. 

1242 

De  Lusarches 

ribbed    vaulting. 

Notre    Dame, 

(Amiens) 

tracery  and  glass. 

Paris,     1 163 

De  Corby 

Cathedrals 

Rouen 

Reims 

Chartre 

Palais  de  Jus- 

tice 

Rouen) 

(late) 

Hotel  de 

Cluny 

(late) 

Gothic 

Lincoln,    1185 

Wm.  of  Sens 

Early    1 180-1280 

Great  Britain 

Westminster 

Wm.  of 

Simplicity    and 

Abbey,    1245 

Wykeham 

purity. 

I>ecorated   1280- 
1380 

Rich  decoration, 
lightness    of    con- 
struction. 

Perpendicular,    fan 
vaulting,     vertical 
tracery. 

Gothic 

Cologne 

Variations, 

Germany    and 

Cathedral, 

circular  churches. 

Belgium    and 

1243 

use  of  brick. 

Spain. 

Strasburg, 

1240 
Antwerp, 

1352 
Town    Halls 

(Brussels, 

Bruges) 
and    guilds 

(Louvain) 
Seville  in 

Spain 

i8 


Famous  Buildings 


CHIIONOLOGICAL  TABLE  — Continued 


KIND  AND 

TYPE 

MEN   OF 

CHARACTERISTIC 

PLACE 

BUILDINGS 

PROMINENCE 

FEATURES 

-jothic 

Siena 

Pisano 

Less     real     Gothic 

Italy 

Orvieto 

structure    than    in 

Cathedral 

other    countries; 

Florence 

Loggia    di 

Lanzi,   Flor- 

ence 

Doges'      Pal- 

ace,   Venice 

Certosa  of 

Pavia 

Milan   Cathe- 

dral 

Renaissance 

Dome  of 

Brunnelles- 

More  form  than 

Italy 

Florence 

chi,   1377- 

construction ; 

Early 

Cathedral 

1446 

chiefly  of  palaces; 

I 420- I 480 

Riccardi    Pal- 

Michelozzo 

modified    Roman 

ace,       Flor- 

for Cosimo 

columns ;    revival 

ence 

di  Medici 

of  classic  forms 

Pitti    Palace 

originally   and 
freely    applied. 

High 

Vatican 

Bramante 

Formal   classic    re- 

1490-1550 

St.    Peter's 

Michaelan- 

finement  and  dig- 

Farnese   Pal- 

gelo 

nity  ;  domes. 

ace,  Rome 

Sansovino 

Villa    Medici 

(Venice) 
San  Gallo 
Raphael 

Decline 

Santa    Maria 

Engaged  columns. 

Baroque 

della    Salute, 

Bernini 

Colossal  orders. 

1550-1600 

Venice 

Poverty    of    inven- 

Library, 

tion,  sham  decora- 
tion, huge  scrolls, 

Rococo 

Fountain    of 

Maderna 

florid   stucco,    and 

1600 1 700 

Trevi,  Rome 

lack  of  propriety. 

Introductory 


19 


CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE  — Continued 


KIND   AND 
PLACE 

TYPE 
BUILDINGS 

MEN   OF 
PROMINENCE 

CHARACTERISTIC 
FEATURES 

Renaissance 

France 
Early 
Advanced 
Louis  XIV 

or  Classic 

Period, 

1645-1715 

Fontainebleau 
Chateau  de 
Blois 
Luxemburg 
Louvre 
Versailles 
Invalides 

Francis  I 
1520-1547 

Pierre  Lescot 
De  Lorme 

Gradual     introduc- 
tion of  classic. 

Louis  XIV. 

The  great  period. 

Decline 
or  Rococo 
(Louis    XV) 
1715-74 

St.  Sulpice 
Palaces 

Louis  XV 

Uninteresting   ex- 
teriors. 

Extravagantly  dec- 
orated interiors. 

Renaissance 
Gt.  Britain 

Whitehall 

St.  Paul's, 

London 

Inigo  Jones, 
1572-1652 

Sir  Christo- 
pher Wren, 
1632-1723 

Slow   release   from 
Gothic ;    a    pictur- 
esque   mixture    of 
Gothic    and    Ren- 
aissance. 

Renaissance 
Germany 

Town  Halls 
Zwinger   Pal- 
ace, Dresden 
Heidelberg 
Castle 

K.  Vischer 

An  early,  late,  and 
a  declining  period, 
as  in  France. 

Renaissance 

Spain 
Early  1500- 

1556 
Classic,  to 

1650 

Cathedral, 
Granada 

University, 
Salamanca 

Escurial 
Monastery 

Juan    Battista 

An  early  and  clas- 
sic, followed  by  an 
extravagant       de- 
cline. 

Decline 

Palace 
Charles  V, 
Granada 

EGYPTIAN  ARCHITECTURE 

When  we  remember  that  all  the  time,  since  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Christian  Era,  is  not  far  from  half  as  long 
as  the  period  from  the  time  of  the  Pyramids  to  the 
birth  of  C'hrist,  we  get  some  feeling  qf  the  long  ages 
through  which  the  Egyptians  lived.  Millions  of  them 
were  slaves,  working,  not  through  love,  but  by  force; 
building  their  tremendous  monuments. 

The  Egyptians  had  knowledge  of  science  and  could 
do  things  which  to-day  we  do  not  know  how  to  imitate. 
Some  of  their  arts  are  lost  to  us,  such  as  how  to  pre- 
serve the  bodies  of  the  dead,  nor  can  we  make  colors 
that  will  remain  un faded  for  thousands  af  years  as  theirs 
have  done.  They  also  understood  geometry,  chemistry, 
medicine,  anatomy,  and  music.  That  they  practised 
many  of  the  principles  of  mechanics  is  shown  by  their 
ability  to  move  the  great  stones  of  their  Pyramids,  and 
their  monuments,  and  temples.  They  also  manufactured 
glass,  some  of  it  of  a  kind  that  we  cannot  now  produce. 

The  architecture  of  Egypt  has  been  divided  into  three 
great  periods :  First  comes  the  Ancient  Empire,  from 
about  5000  B.C.  to  about  3000  B.C.  This  was  the  period 
of  the  Pyramids.  The  next  period  is  called  the  Middle 
Empire,  and  extends  from  about  3(X)0  b.c.  to  about  17CX) 
B.C.  This  is  the  period  of  the  rock-cut  tombs.  The 
third,  and  last,  of  the  great  periods  is  the  one  called  the 

20 


Egyptian  Architecture  21 

New  Empire,  which  extends  from  about  1700  B.C.  to  about 
350  B.c.^  and  this  is  the  period  during  which  the  great 
temples  were  buih,  such  as  Karnak,  Luxor,  and  Edfou. 
Although  we  have  selected  the  Pyramids  for  our  illustra- 
tion, we  ought  to  remember  that  the  period  of  the  tem- 
ples was  the  greatest,  and  produced  lasting  monuments 
of  the  greatest  beauty. 

CHIEF    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Let  us  note,  in  particular,  five  things  about  the  monu- 
ments of  Eg}'pt : 

First,  their  great  mass  and  size.  A  single  stone  was 
sometimes  over  twenty-five  feet  long,  and  it  had  to  be 
brought  miles  from  the  quarry. 

Second,  note  and  remember  their  peculiar  style  of 
column,  a  picture  of  which  is  given  on  page  27,  Fig.  3. 

Third,  imagine  all  of  their  works  to  be  covered  with 
the  greatest  profusion  of  color.  They  had  their  own 
ideas  about  decoration,  and  often  covered  every  inch 
of  a  building  with  pictures,  symbols,  and  designs.  Many 
were  carved,  some  only  painted,  and  all  of  them  had 
some  meaning  connected  either  with  religion  or  with  the 
rulers.  The  rawness  of  the  colors,  most  of  them  the 
crude  primary  colors,  is  also  characteristic  of  the  Egyp- 
tian style. 

Fourth,  note  the  fact  that  the  structure  of  their  build- 
ings was  almost  always  that  which  we  have  described 
as  the  architecture  of  the  beam  or  lintel.  We  define  a 
lintel  as  a  beam  of  wood,  or  iron,  or  stone,  or  some  other 
substance,  over  the  top  of  a  door,  or  window,  or  any 
other  opening,  to  carry  the  weight  of  the  wall  above. 


22  Famous  Buildings 

We  have  just  used  the  word  "  structure."  Let  us  stop 
for  a  moment  at  this  word,  for  structure  and  structural 
are  words  that  we  often  meet  with  in  books  on  archi- 
tecture. The  structure  of  a  building  is  the  most  im- 
portant thing  about  it,  for  everything  else  depends  upon 
it.  Everything  rests  upon  the  structure,  and  the  minor 
parts,  if  they  are  honest,  will  follow  the  main  lines  of 
the  structure.  Good  lines  in  the  decoration  of  a  build- 
ing should  follow  the  basic  structure,  and  to  say  that  a 
decoration  or  orament  is  "  not  structural "  is  to  condemn 
it.  Let  us  be  sure  that  we  know  what  this  means.  For 
instance,  if  the  structure  of  a  building  was  of  the  lintel 
type,  and  we  concealed  this  by  covering  it  up  with  ma- 
terial so  as  to  make  it  appear  like  an  arch,  we  should  be 
neither  honest  nor  structural. 

If  a  column  is  so  placed  that  it  does  not  support  any- 
thing, it  becomes  merely  an  ornament.  Such  a  column 
has  not  the  dignity  of  one  that  is  doing  real  work.  In 
general,  that  which  is  honest  in  architecture,  as  in  life,  is 
good;  while  anything  that  is  make-believe,  and  pretends 
to  be  something  that  it  is  not,  is  poor,  and  does  not  com- 
mand our  admiration.  It  is  a  law  in  architecture,  that 
beauty  comes  first  from  utility,  and  that  nothing  must 
ever  be  done  to  deceive.  If  you  bear  this  in  mind, 
you  will  rightly  feel  ashamed  of  some  of  the  buildings 
which  you  may  see  in  most  modem  towns. 

Fifth,  note  another  peculiarity  of  Egyptian  architecture 
in  the  slope  or  slant  so  often  given  to  the  walls,  where 
ours  would  be  exactly  upright  or  vertical.  If  the  Egyp- 
tian idea  of  greatest  strength  was  a  slpi5ing  wall,  do  you 


Egyptian  Architecture  23 

suppose  they  would  have  spoken  of  an  honest  man  as  a 
sloping  man  ? 

THE    GREAT    PYRAMIDS. 

The  most  ancient  monuments  of  the  world,  the  Pyra- 
mids, were  built  as  burial  places  for  the  kings.  They 
consist  of  masses  of  stone  and  brick  raised  up  around 
the  chamber  where  the  body  of  the  king  was  to  lie.  The 
tomb  was  made  so  that  the  place  where  the  body  lay 
would  be  secret,  and  secure  from  thieves.  Yet,  to-day, 
there  is  not  a  tomb  that  has  not  been  explored  and  rifled. 
The  material  used  was  limestone  cased  over  with  granite, 
and  the  passages  were  lined  with  granite.  The  outside 
was  cased  with  polished  stone,  perhaps  of  many  different 
colors.  The  largest  of  the  Pyramids  was  the  tomb  of 
King  Cheops.  It  was  760  feet  at  the  base,  484  feet  high, 
and  had  an  area  of  577,000  square  feet.  The  angle  of 
the  slope  was  about  50  degrees,  but  the  angle  of  slope 
of  the  different  Pyramids  is  never  alike.  The  jointing 
of  the  stones  was  done  with  the  greatest  nicety,  and  the 
construction  throughout  shows  wonderful  scientific  skill. 

George  Ebers  writes,  in  his  description  of  one  of  the 
Pyramids:  "For  a  moment  the  enveloping  cloud  lifts 
from  the  horizon  and  we  see  the  prodigious  Pyramids 
standing  before  us  with  their  sharp  triangles,  and  then 
the  mystic  curtain  falls.  To  the  right  and  left,  we  some- 
times see  buffaloes  grazing;  sometimes  flocks  of  silver 
herons ;  sometimes  a  solitary  pelican  within  gun-shot  of 
the  '-arriage ;  then  half-naked  peasants  at  their  daily  labor ; 
and  pleasing  villages  some  distance  from  the  road." 


24 


Famous  Buildings 


As  we  stand  before  the  largest  of  these  works  of  man, 
which,  as  we  know,  the  ancients  glorified  as  "  wonders 
of  the  world,"  it  is  only  by  a  comparison  with  other 
structures,  present  in  our  memory,  that  we  can  get  any 
idea  of  their  immensity.  If  the  tomb  of  Cheops  were 
hollow,  St.  Peter's  at  Rome  could  be  placed  within  it 
like  a  clock  under  a  glass  cage.  If  the  tomb  of  Cheops 
were  razed,  a  wall  could  be  built  of  its  stones  all  around 
the  frontiers  of  France.  "  Time  mocks  all  things,  but 
the  Pyramids  mock  Time,"  says  the  Arabian  proverb. 

Let  us  think  for  a  moment,  of  the  Pyramids  in  rela- 


-of,<i 


Fig.   I.     The  Pyramids. 

tion  to  the  principles  given  in  the  table,  especially  as  to. 
the  principle  of  fitness.  Do  you  not  feel  the  fitness  of 
these  big  masses  of  stone  to  their  surroundings  in  the 
sandy  desert,  and  to  their  use  as  the  tomb  of  kings? 
The  Egyptians  looked  upon  their  houses  as  tempo- 
rary abodes,  but  upon  their  tombs  as  permanent  dwell- 
ings.    This  fitness  of  things  is  essential  to  the  beauty  of 


I 


Egyptian  Architecture  25 

any  object,  be  it  building,  painting,  or  anything  under  the 
sun. 

There  is  a  solemnity  about  Egyptian  architecture,  and 
great  strength,  but,  of  the  many  elements  in  the  table, 
few  could  be  applied  to  the  Pyramids.  Repetition,  va- 
riety, and  ornament,  for  instance,  are  not  among  their 
qualities.  However,  I  think  we  can  select  two  elements 
of  beauty  that  are  always  in  the  Pyramids ;  namely,  sym- 
metry and  simplicity.  The  Pyramids  present  an  almost 
perfect  symmetry,  and  y^t  perfect  symmetry  in  build- 
ings, as  in  pictures,  may  make  them  seem  monotonous, 
but  if  there  is  not  perfect  symmetry,  there  must  be  at 
least  a  feeling  of  balance. 

One  way  to  look  at  a  building  is  to  regard  it  some- 
what as  a  picture,  for  buildings  and  pictures  have  much 
in  common.  To  be  sure,  they  also  have  many  points 
of  difference,  for  painting  is  an  imitative  art,  while  archi- 
tecture is  not  so.  But,  in  judging  the  effect  of  a  building 
upon  our  sense  of  the  beautiful  and  upon  our  emotions, 
we  find  that  many  .of  the  principles  and  laws  are  just  the 
same  as  in  painting.  The  fine  arts  are  all  modes  of  the 
expression  of  people,  or  nations,  or  ideas,  and  their  pro- 
duction is  governed  by  laws.  We  compose  a  picture,  we 
compose  a  piece  of  music,  and,  no  less  we  compose  a  build- 
ing; and  the  laws  of  composition  must  be  followed  in  the 
one  as  in  the  others.  Ruskin,  who  wrote  much  about  art 
and  architecture,  gives  us  some  laws  of  composition  in 
architecture,  one  of  which  is  the  "  law  of  principality." 
This  applies  to  all  of  the  fine  arts.  "  First  determine  what 
is  the  principal  thing,"  he  said;  "  you  may  have  one  large 
mass  and  several  smaller  ones,  but  there  must  be  one 


26  Famous  Buildings 

prominent  above  the  rest."  Proportion  is  another  im- 
portant matter  in  architecture.  Symmetry,  which  is  as 
necessary  in  architecture  as  in  painting,  can  be  had  where 
all  the  parts  are  of  equal  size,  for  symmetry  is  mere 
regularity  of  structure;  that  is,  having  one  side  exactly 
balance  the  other;  but  proportion  must  be  of  three  un- 
equal things  at  least.  Proportion,  principality,  symmetry, 
are  things  you  will  often  hear  mentioned  in  regard  to 
buildings,  and  you  will  feel  their  meaning  more  and  more 
as  great  buildings  become  familiar  to  you.  In  a  build- 
ing, too,  as  in  a  picture,  there  are  masses  of  light  and 
shade.  Some  one  has  said  that  the  deep  shadows  cast 
on  the  faces  of  buildings  are  to  remind  us  of  all  the 
troubles,  labors,  and  disappointments  that  are  met  in 
erecting  a  building,  and  those  who  must  occupy  it,  be  it 
prison  or  workshop,  and  of  all  the  troubles  in  life  itself. 
If  we  refer  to  the  table  on  page  ii,  we  shall  see  that 
the  above  points  about  buildings  and  pictures  are  matters 
that  pertain  to  the  principle  of  beauty  in  architecture. 

The  most  important  thing  that  the  Egyptians  sought 
for  in  their  works  was  duration;  and  so  dry  is  the  cli- 
mate that  not  only  the  monuments  of  stone,  but  many  of 
the  most  fragile  cloths  and  woods,  have  withstood  de- 
struction to  this  day. 

In  the  Pyramids,  extreme  simplicity  is  combined  with 
symmetry.  Do  you  not  sometimes  look  at  a  wooden 
house,  covered  with  ginger-bread  ornamentation,  and 
wish  that  you  could  tear  it  off?  If  so,  you  feel  that  it 
is  not  simple  enough,  and  that  the  house  would  look 
better  without  that  fiHgree  work.  Think  of  the  simple, 
dignified  Pyramids.     Are  they  not  good  to  look  at? 


Egyptian  Architecture 


27 


EGYPTIAN    TEMPLES. 

We  Spoke  of  the  temples  as  the  greatest  work  of  the 
Egyptians,  but  we  shall  only  be  able  to  look  at  them 
briefly.  The  Egyptian  temple  was  surrounded  by  a  plain 
wall.  Leading  from  the  wall-opening  to  the  temple  is 
usually  placed  a  row  of  sphinxes,  and  then  comes  the 
fore-court  enclosed  by  rows  of  columns;  then  a  dark 
columned  hall ;  and, 
furthest  of  all,  an 
inner  sanctuary.  The 
columns  were  of 
great  size,  colored  in 
brilliant  hues,  some 
of  which  remain  bril- 
liant to  this  day. 
The  inscriptions  are 
all  in  hieroglyphics, 
or  picture  writing, 
and  were  very  hard 
to  read,  until  the  dis- 
covery of  the  roset- 
ta  stone.  This  con- 
tains an  inscription  pig.  2 
in  hieroglyphics  and 

its   translation    in    Greek.     By    comparison 
ing  of  the  hieroglyphics  became  known. 

Figure  2,  the  illustration  on  this  page,  shows  the  great 
Prophylon  of  the  Temple  of  Karnak.  Such  a  monu- 
mental gateway  usually  stood  before  the  entrance  to  a 
temple.     Notice  the  carving,  the  inward  leaning  of  the 


Prophylon  or  Gateway  at  Karnak, 
Egypt. 


the   mean- 


28 


Famous  Buildings 


walls,  and  the  design  at  the  top,  which  was  the  Egyp- 
tian symbol  of  divinity.  Figure  3  shows  the  portico  of 
the  temple  at  Edfou.  Notice  again,  the  inward  slope 
of  the  sides,  also  the  flat  roof,  the  shape  of  the  capi- 
tals, and  columns,  and  the  profuse  carving  of  the  walls. 

Figure  4  shows  the 
hypostyle  Hall  of 
Karnak.  Any  struc- 
ture, with  or  without 
walls,  the  ceiling  of 
which  is  supported  by 
columns,  is  called  a 
hypostyle.  The  Hall 
'  >i  Karnak  is  one  of 
the  greatest  temple 
interiors  in  Egypt. 
Fig.  3.  Portico  of  the  Temple  of  Edfou.  Figure  5  was  the 
obehsk,  another  monument  common  in  Egypt,  which 
was  supposed,  by  its  shape,  to  symbolize  the  rays  of  the 
sun.  These  tapering  shafts  were  of  a  single  piece,  the 
top  or  apex  usually  sheathed  in  a  bronze  top.  They 
were  probably  set  up  in  honor  of  the  kings.  Figure  6, 
the  tomb  at  Beni-Hassan  on  the  western  side  of  the  Nile, 
is  often  cited  to  show  that  the  Greeks  copied  their  Doric 
column  from  the  old  Egyptians.  Compare  the  columns 
in  the  illustration  of  this  tomb  with  the  Greek  Doric 
column  on  page  36,  and  see  if  you  do  not  think  they  are 
similar.  The  truth  is,  that  although  the  Greeks  did  bor- 
row, they  altered  and  improved  whatever  they  took,  un- 
til it  was  almost  a  new  creation.  Shakespeare  borrowed 
the  plots  of  some  of  his  plays,  and  it  seems  that  the  mind 


Egyptian  Architecture 


29 


of  genius  loves  to  seize  upon  something  old,  and  give  it 
greater  life.  The  great  architects  of  to-day,  instead  of 
inventing  new  orders  and  styles,  recombine  and  apply 
the  old  ones. 


STORY  AND  ANECDOTE. 

It  is   said  that,   in  building  the  pyramid  of  Cheops, 
King      Khufu      em- 
ployed seven  million 
men  in  forced  labor 
for  thirty  years. 

In  the  Boulak  mu- 
seum at  Cairo,  many 
of  the  instruments 
used  by  the  early 
Egyptians  are  pre- 
served. There  are 
set-squares,  rulers, 
palettes,  paint  boxes, 
and  models  of  py- 
lons,    and,     among 

other    things,    plans 
1  .  ,    Fig.  4.    Hypostyle  Hall  of  Karnak,  Egypt 

drawn  on  stone  and      °  -^       •'f     j  ,    bj^ 

colored,  to  show  different  materials.  Many  architects' 
names  have  been  preserved  upon  tombs.  At  Munich 
there  is  a  statue  of  the  principal  architect  of  Thebes, 
Bakenhonson.  Perrot  says  that  architects  were  some- 
times recruited  from  among  the  princes  of  the  royal 
blood.  There  is  one  genealogical  table  in  which  the 
profession  is  shown  to  have  descended  from  father  to 
son  for  twenty-two  generations. 


30 


Famous  Buildings 


The  great  aim  in 
building  the  pyra- 
mids was  to  make 
them  last  so  that 
they  might  defy 
earthquake  and 

other  enemies,  in- 
cluding time  itself. 
If  the  stones  and 
masses  had  been 
smaller,  all  might 
have  vanished  be- 
fore now. 

All  writers  do 
not  believe  that 
the  workmen  upon 
the  pyramids  were 
really  oppressed. 
One  writer  siifreests 


Fig.    6.     Tomb    at    Beni-Hassan,    Egypt, 
showing  so-called  proto-Doric  columns. 


Fig.  5.     Obelisks  at  Karnak  (Thebes) 
Egypt. 

that  the  building  work  was  probably 
done  during  the  an- 
nual inundation  of 
the  Nile,  when  the 
king  fed  and 
clothed  the  poorer 
classes,  who  might 
not  otherwise  have 
been  able  to  live. 

The  Egyptian  king 
was  looked  upon 
as  the  representa- 
tive of  the  gods. 


GREEK  ARCHITECTURE 

We  have  spoken  of  how  the  Egyptians  worked  as 
slaves.  The  Greeks,  on  the  contrary,  were  free  people 
and  they  had  gained  their  freedom  by  working  and  fight- 
ing for  it.  From  such  people  we  should  expect  a  dif- 
ferent style  of  building  than  that  of  the  Egyptians.  The 
Greeks  loved  both  freedom  and  beauty,  and  their  temples 
were  true  and  noble  expressions  of  themselves  and  their 
aspirations.  Their  religion,  though  different  from  the 
religions  of  to-day,  was  a  pure  and  lofty  one,  and  entered 
largely  into  their  architecture.  Their  temples  were  built 
to  do  honor  to  their  gods,  and  were  set  upon  their  beauti- 
ful hills. 

They  lived  near  the  sea,  and  so  became  sailors  and 
traders  in  the  distant  countries.  Through  their  travels 
in  other  lands,  they  received,  and  then  changed  to  suit 
their  own  ways  of  thought  and  of  expression,  the  ideas 
they  got  from  others.  And  whatever  the  Greeks  adopted 
from  others  they  were  likely  to  improve. 

The  architecture  that  we  know  as  Greek  is  the  most 
perfect  of  all  architecture,  and  the  Parthenon,  a  temple  at 
Athens,  is  its  best  example. 

There  is  a  very  early  period  of  Greek  architecture, 
from  say  1500  B.C.  to  iioo  B.C.,  the  remains  of  which 
are  chiefly  tombs  and  gateways.  These  remains  are  not 
numerous.     The  Lion  Gate-Way  of  Mycenae  is  the  most 

31 


32  Famous  Buildings 

often  cited.  Several  centuries  intervened  between  the 
period  of  these  remains  and  the  great  period  called  the 
Hellenic.  The  ending  of  the  war  between  the  Greeks 
and  the  Persians  delivered  the  country  from  the  fear 
of  invasion,  and  left  it  free  to  exercise  the  arts  of  peace. 
Under  Pericles,  from  460  B.C.  to  429  b.c.^  the  old  tem- 
ples were  rebuilt  with  greater  splendor. 

This  was  the  Golden  Age  of  Greek  Art,  both  in  archi- 
tecture and  in  the  sister  art  of  sculpture.  Pericles  was 
the  great  figure  in  Athenian  public  affairs  for  forty 
years ;  the  "  one  man  power  "  of  his  time.  His  fleets 
overcame  the  neighboring  countries,  and  the  wealth  and 
prosperity  of  Greece  was  the  greatest  in  the  world.  He 
was  a  believer  in  art,  and  under  him  flourished  the  great 
sculptor  Phidias,  who  superintended  the  construction  of 
Pericles'  buildings. 

H  you  had  walked  about  the  streets  of  Athens  in  those 
days,  you  would  have  seen  many  walls  going  up ;  temples 
and  other  buildings  being  erected;  and  great  loads  of 
stone,  cypress-wood,  brass,  and  even  ivory  and  gold  be- 
ing put  into  them.  Carpenters,  masons,  goldsmiths,  and 
workmen  of  all  kinds  were  as  busy  as  could  be.  Sculp- 
tures made  by  Phidias,  or  under  him,  with  which  to  adorn 
the  temples,  were  the  best  the  world  has  seen  to  this  day. 
Sculpture  was  then  as  much  a  part  of  a  fine  building 
as  the  stone  itself,  and  Pericles  had  such  an  idea  of  the 
importance  and  value  of  beautiful  things,  that  he  kept 
the  best  artists  busily  at  work.  He  thought  so  highly  of 
them  as  men,  that  he  was  much  in  their  company  and  lived 
with  them  on  terms  of  equality.  The  result  was  that  he 
made  Athens  the  most  beautiful  city  in  the  world. 


Greek  Architecture 


33 


We  have  many  things  in  our  cities  now  of  which  the 
Greeks  could  never  have  dreamed;  printing,  the  tele- 
graph, the  telephone,  steamships,  railroads,  and  a  thou- 
sand other  modern  wonders.  Yet  the  Greeks  were  able 
to  build  in  beauty  what  we  are  glad  to  imitate.  Perhaps  it 
was  because  their  lives  were  more  calm  and  more  heroic. 
They  preferred  to  do,  or  to  make,  or  to  think,  a  beautiful 
thing,  than  to  outdo  their  neighbors  in  getting  rich. 


■  ■  ■  * 


Ti 

n 


CHIEF    FEATURES   OF    GREEK    ARCHITECTURE. 

One  of  the  chief  features  of  Greek  architecture,  as  of 
Egyptian,  is  the  column  and  lintel  construction,  but  the 
Greek  style  is  worked  .out  so  differ- 
ently that  we  forget  the  source. 
The  best  Greek  buildings  were  the 
temples,  as  was  the  case  with  the 
Egyptian,  but  the  columns  of  the 
Egyptian  temples  were  on  the  in- 
side of  the  building  while  the  col- 
umns of  the  Greek  temples  were  on 
the  outside.  While  the  Egyptians 
went  into  their  temples,  the  Greeks 
placed  theirs  upon  the  hills  and 
worshiped  from  the  outside,  even 
from  as  far  as  they  could  see  them. 
The  object  of  the  Greek  temple  was 
to  provide  a  shrine  for  the  image 
of  the  god  or  goddess  to  whom  it 
was  dedicated. 

The    Greek    temple    has    been 
briefly    described    as    a    rectangu- 


i. 


■!■■■■£ 


Fig.  7.    Plan  of  the 
Parthenon. 

A,  cella ;  B,  Parthenon  ; 
E,  site  of  the  statue 
of  Athena. 


34 


Famous  Buildings 


lar  building  with  doors,  but  without  windows,  sur- 
rounded on  all  sides  by  a  single  or  double  row  of  col- 
umns. Figure  7  is  a  ground  plan  of  the  Parthenon. 
The  part  marked  A  was  the  cella,  or  inner  enclosed  por- 

pr, — -.-r---    —    ^__         ^     tion.     E  marks  the 

place  where  stood 
the  famous  statue 
of  Athena.  Figure 
8  is  also  a  very 
useful  illustration, 
showing  the  con- 
struction of  all  the 
parts  of  the  build- 
ing. 

All  Greek  tem- 
ples resemble  each 
other  in  so  many 
respects  that,  hav- 
ing seen  one,  we 
should  never  be 
at  a  loss  to  recog- 
nize another.  There 
were  three  different 
orders,  named  Doric,  Ionic,  and  Corinthian.  These  will 
be  fully  described  later  on,  but  let  us  begin  by  learning 
that  the  Doric,  named  by  the  shortest  word  of  the  fewest 
syllables,  was  the  earliest  and  most  simple,  while  the 
Corinthian,  named  by  the  longest  word  with  the  greatest 
number  of  syllables,  was  the  latest  and  most  complex. 
If  we  learn  to  know  the  Doric  order  (see  Figure  9), 


Fig.  8.     Doric  Architecture. 
Diagram    of   the   northeast    angle   of   the 
Parthenon,  illustrating  method  of  con- 
struction. 


Greek  Architecture  35 

and  the  names  of  its  parts,  we  shall  be  able  to  understand 
a  description  of  the  Parthenon  or  any  Doric  building. 

THE   ORDERS. 

An  order,  in  classical  architecture,  consists  of  a  col- 
umn entire,  including  base,  shaft,  and  capital,  together 
with  the  superincumbent  entablature,  these  forming  an 
architectural  whole,  and  the  characteristic  elements  of  a 
style.  Every  order  consists  of  two  essential  parts,  a 
column  and  its  entablature.  The  column  is  divided  into 
three  parts;  base,  shaft,  and  capital.  The  entablature 
or  upper  part  of  the  building,  which  is  supported  by  the 
column,  consists  of  architrave,  frieze,  and  cornice.  These 
are  well  shown  in  the  illustration,  and  are  better  under- 
stood by  referring  to  it.  A  description  in  words  will 
help  to  fix  it  in  our  minds,  besides  teaching  us  how  to 
describe  it  to  others.  The  architrave  is  the  horizontal 
beam  resting  immediately  upon  the  columns;  it  was  left 
plain.  Above  it  runs  the  frieze,  divided  into  square 
panels  called  metopes.  The  metopes  were  filled  with 
sculptured  reliefs,  and  were  separated  from  each  other 
by  projecting  blocks  called  triglyphs.  The  upper  part 
above  the  frieze  is  called  the  cornice.  It  seems  quite 
unnecessary  at  first  to  tax  the  mind  with  these  little 
details,  but  we  find  these  words  coming  again  and  again 
before  us,  and  it  is  surprising,  after  all,  how  few  of 
them  are  required  to  know  what  we  need  to  know  of  the 
subject,  or  to  understand  nearly  all  that  is  written  about 
it. 

The  character  of  an  order  is  displayed  not  only  in  its 


36 


Famous  Buildings 


column,  but  in  its  ornaments,  its  general  style,  and  its 
detail. 


THE    GREEK   DORIC    ORDER. 

The  column  of  the  Doric  order  has  no  base,  that  is, 

it  rests  directly  on 
the  stone  plat- 
form, and  is 
thicker  at  the  bot- 
tom than  at  the 
top,  swelling  out- 
ward in  a  subtle 
curve  called  enta- 
sis, which  we  shall 
describe  later.  The 
Doric  column  was 
fluted,      that      is, 

channels  or  grooves  ran  up  and  down  its  whole  length, 

sometimes  sixteen,  sometimes  twenty  in  number,  with  a 

sharp  edge  between  them.     The  fluted  part  is  called  the 

shaft  and  the  top  of  the  column  is  the  capital.     The  capital 

of  the  Doric  column  is  very  plain. 

Fig.  9  shows  a  Doric  entablature, 

and,    in    the   illustration,    the   three 

parts    are    indicated    by    lettering. 

The  abacus,  shown  plainly  in  Figure 

10,  is  the  slab  or  plinth  which  forms    Fig.  lo.    Doric  Order. 

the  upper  member  of  the  capital  of  Capital  of  the  Parthe- 

.  non.     A,  abacus. 

a  column  or  pular.     In  Figure  lo,  A 


m     W      m 


Fig.  g.     Doric  Entablature. 

E,  entablature ;  a,  architrave ;  b,  frieze ; 

c,  cornice. 


is  the  abacus  of  a  column  of  the  Parthenon, 
plainness  and  simplicity. 


Notice  its 


Greek  Architecture 


37 


The  Doric  order  is  the  oldest  and  strongest  as  well  as 
the  most  simple  of  the  three  Greek  orders,  combining 
with  solidity  and  force,  the  most 
subtle  and  delicate  refinement  of 
outline. 

THE  GREEK  IONIC  ORDER. 

The  Ionic  order  is  named  from 
the  Ionic  race,  by  whom  it  is  sup-    Fig.  ii.    Capital  of  the 
posed  to  have  been  developed  and  °"'^  ^^^^' 

perfected.  The  distinguishing  characteristic  of  the  col- 
umn of  this  order  is  the  volute,  or  spiral  ornament  of 
its  capital.  In  the  true  Ionic,  the  volutes  have  the  same 
form  on  the  front  and  rear  of  the  column,  and  are  con- 
nected  on   tiie  flanks  by  an  ornamented  roll  or  scroll, 

except  in  the  case 
of  corner  capitals, 
which  have  three 
volutes  on  the  two 
outer  faces.  The 
best  examples  of 
Ionic  are  the 
Erechtheum,  illus- 
trated by  Figure 
1 6,  on  page  47, 
and  the  Temple  of 
the  Wingless  Vic- 
tory, given  on 
this     page.     Both 


Fig.   12.     Ionic  Architecture. 

Temple  of  Wingless  Victory,  on  the 

Acropolis  of  Athens. 


of  these  temples  stand  upon  the  Acropolis  or  rocky  hill 
overlooking  the  city  of  Athens. 


i 


38 


Famous  Buildings 


THE    GREEK    CORINTHIAN    ORDER. 

This  is  the  most  ornate  of  the  classical  orders,  and  the 
most  slender  in  its  proportions.  The  capital  is  shaped 
somewhat  like  a  bell  inverted,  and  is  adorned  with  rows 
of  acanthus  leaves.  See  the  illustrations  on  pages  56  and 
57  and  note  the  characteristics  of  the  capitals.  It  is 
important  to  be  able  to  recognize  the  capitals  of  these 
orders  and  to  name  them. 


ENTASIS. 

The   columns   of   the    Parthenon,   in    fact   the   whole 
building,  afford  an  example  of  entasis  or  subtle  curving. 

Careful  measurements  show 
that  many  of  the  lines  of 
Greek  buildings,  which  appear 
straight,  are  really  slightly 
curved.  The  columns  them- 
selves are  made  to  lean  inward 
a  little  because  it  was  found 
that,  if  they  were  perfectly  up- 
right, they  would  seem  to  lean 
outward.  The  columns  at  the 
corner  lean  inward  a  little  more 
than  the  others.  The  front 
base  of  the  Parthenon  is  one 
hundred  and  three  feet  three 
and  one-half  inches,  long,  and 
is  made  to  swell  outwards  a  lit- 
tle more  than  two  inches,  being  higher  in  the  center  than  at 
the  two  ends.     The  effect  of  this  upward  swelling  is  to 


Fig.  13.    Entasis. 

(The  proportions  much 

exaggerated.) 


Greek  Architecture  39 

make  the  line  appear  less  rigid.  If  perfectly  level  it  would 
have  seemed  rigid,  or  perhaps  to  sag.  It  was  all  a  matter 
of  appearance,  but  it  was  figured  out  with  the  greatest 
nicety.  In  the  case  of  a  column  the  variation  was  less 
than  an  inch  in  thirty  feet  of  height.  This  curve  was 
called  entasis.  Figure  13  shows  entasis  as  exhibited  in 
a  column,  but  the  proportions  are  exaggerated.  It  all 
reminds  us  of  the  saying  that  beauty  loves  a  curve. 

Straight  is  the  line  of  duty, 
Curved  is  the  line  of  beauty; 
Follow  the  one  and  it  shall  be 
The  other  shall  always  follow  thee. 

For  such  reasons,  Greek  architecture  was  called  in- 
tellectual. 

ORNAMENT. 

One  of  the  chief  differences  between  an  ordinary 
country  hay-barn  and  a  Greek  temple  is  that  the  barn 
has  no  ornament.  Its  structure  is  not  dissimilar;  the 
sill,  the  post,  the  plates,  the  roof,  the  lintels,  and  the 
gables,  all  being  put  together  much  like  the  temple.  One 
was  of  stone  and  the  other  is  of  wood,  so,  while  pro- 
portion may  be  the  chief  beauty  of  Greek  architecture, 
we  see  that  it  would  look  somewhat  bare  without  orna- 
mentation. 

Molding  is  one  of  the  principal  elements  of  ornamen- 
tation. It  may  be  defined  as  a  means  of  modeling  the 
surface  of  stone,  or  other  materials,  in  curves  or  sink- 
ings of  the  surface;  all  worked  in  a  parallel  direction 
so  as  to  produce,  to  the  eye,  lines  of  shadow,  light,  and 


40  Famous  Buildings 

half-light  To  architects,  these  are  the  most  important 
details  of  a  building,  or  even  a  style.  Moldings  are  the 
most  fundamental  ornaments.  Some  one  has  said  that 
they  are  the  architects'  way  of  drawing  lines.  These 
lines  emphasize  the  lines  of  structure  in  a  building,  and 
should  be  suited  to  its  structural  character.  Thus  the 
Greek  moldings  are  simple,  while  the  moldings  and  orna- 
ments of  a  Gothic  cathedral  are  far  richer.  This  is  ap- 
propriate, for  the  struc- 
ture of  the  Gothic  is  far 
more  complex.  Figure 
14  gives  one  of  the  best 
known  classic  moldings 
Fig.  14.  Egg-and-dart  Molding.  called  the  egg-and-dart 
molding.  The  sample  given  in  the  picture  is  from  the 
Erechtheum  at  Athens. 

The  crowning  ornament  of  Greek  buildings  was  the 
sculpture  with  which  they  were  adorned.  We  cannot, 
in  this  place,  describe  the  sculptures  as  they  are  reserved 
for  a  separate  book,  but,  if  we  could  do  so,  it  would  help 
us  to  understand,  and  properly  to  admire  architecture. 
In  those  days,  and  for  many  centuries  afterwards,  every 
architect  was  capable  of  carving  a  statue,  and  the  two 
arts  walked  hand  in  hand.  They  are  many  ways  to 
admire  buildings :  the  great  mass  of  a  cathedral  or  tem- 
ple, its  dim  interior,  or  its  mere  size  and  showiness  will 
impress  some  beholders;  others,  perhaps,  will  be  most 
impressed  by  the  fineness  and  perfection  of  the  work- 
manship; but  the  truest  pleasure  comes  from  an  under- 
standing of  the  meanings  of  the  sculptures,  the  paintings, 
the  decoration,   and   of  the   structure   itself.     In  other 


Greek  Architecture  41 

words,  the  more  we  know  about  the  subject  the  better 
we  will  enjoy  it,  and  the  higher  and  truer  will  be  the 
admiration  we  are  able  to  feel  for  it. 


OTHER    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Instead  of  covering  nearly  every  bit  of  space  with 
ornament,  as  the  Egyptians  did,  the  Greeks  selected  only 
the  best  places  for  it,  and  thus  gave  it  its  proper  effect. 
The  decorations,  especially  the  sculptures,  were  one  of 
the  chief  features  of  a  Greek  temple.  The  works  by 
Phidias,  which  adorned  the  Parthenon,  were  the  most 
beautiful  the  world  has  seen.  Their  remains  are  now  in 
the  British  Museum. 

Besides  their  temples  the  Greeks  built  many  theaters 
which  may  be  studied  from  their  ruins,  but  of  their 
dwelling-houses  almost  nothing  remains  to  us.  It  is 
probable  that  they  did  not  spend  much  time,  or  labor 
either,  in  building  or  beautifying  them.  They  were  an 
out-door  people. 

The  Greek  style  is  noted  for  the  repose,  harmony, 
and  proportion  of  its  effect.  These  are  terms  we  might 
use  in  speaking  of  a  painting,  but  they  relate  to  the  com- 
position of  a  building  which  is,  in  many  respects,  similar 
to  the  composition  of  a  picture.  In  selecting  his  ma- 
terials, and  style,  and  site,  and  in  arranging  his  masses 
of  stones;  in  placing  the  lights  and  shades,  and  in  pro- 
ducing an  effect  of  symmetry  and  balance,  the  architect 
is  doing  much  the  same  things  that  a  painter  does  in 
composing  his  pictures.  As  to  proportion,  we  may  say, 
in  a  general  way,  that  Doric  temples  were  twice  as  long 
as  they  were  wide,  and  once  and  a  half  as  high  as  they 


42  Famous  Buildings 

were  wide.  The  column  was  about  six  times  its  diam- 
eter in  height,  while  the  capital  was  one-half  one  diam- 
eter in  height. 

There  is  no  feature,  ornament,  principle  or  design, 
used  by  the  Greeks  that  is  not  in  use  to-day.  We  still 
find  almost  exact  reproductions  of  Greek  buildings  going 
up  in  the  great  cities  of  the  world.  Moreover,  all  the 
other  styles  that  have  come  into  being  since  the  Greek, 
owe  much  to  it  although  we  find  no  domes,  nor  arches, 
nor  towers  in  Greece.  The  Doric  order  was  the  one 
most  favored  by  the  Greeks,  and,  most  of  their  best 
buildings  are  in  that  style.  Although  the  most  simple, 
and  plainest  of  all,  it  is  the  most  refined  and  seems  all 
the  more  dignified  by  reason  of  this  very  simplicity,  just 
as  a  person  often  seems  more  dignified  by  reason  of 
simple  manners.  It  was  the  most  simple  of  ideas  car- 
ried to  the  utmost  perfection  in  its  every  detail. 

To  make  further  comparison  with  the  Egyptian,  we 
notice  that  the  Greek  made  a  gable  to  his  roof.  This 
was  to  ward  ofif  the  weather,  a  thing  the  Egyptian  never 
had  to  think  of.  It  shows  us  how  climate  will  bring  out 
new  features  in  architecture,  and  that,  what  might  be 
beautiful  in  Egypt,  might  seem  ridiculous  in  Chicago. 
Only  the  suitable  is  beautiful. 

THE    PARTHENON. 
Note:     For  illustration,  see  Frontispiece. 

In  describing  the  Doric  order,  we  have  already  de- 
scribed many  of  the  essential  details  of  this  marvelous 
building,  the  work  of  Ictinus  and  Callicrates.  It  is  the 
most  complete  of  all  the  Greek  temples  —  the  most  in- 


Greek  Architecture  43 

tellectual  of  buildings  it  has  been  called.  It  is  Doric, 
and  was  built  by  Ictinus,  though  Phidias  was  the  sculp- 
tor. Exclusive  of  the  steps  on  which  it  stood,  it  was 
228  feet  long  by  loi  feet  wide,  and  64  feet  high.  There 
were  eight  columns  in  the  front  and  seventeen  facing 
from  each  side,  each  about  34  feet  high,  and  over  6  feet 
in  diameter.  The  Doric  column  had  no  base,  and  a  very 
simple  capital  as  we  have  seen,  but,  like  all  Greek  columns 
they  were  fluted.  The  Doric  flutings  are  shallow,  and 
generally  twenty  in  number  in  each  column.  The  mold- 
ings, though  very  few  in  number,  were  subtle  in  their 
design  and  curve. 

The  construction  of  the  Parthenon  was  of  the  most 
solid  and  durable  kind,  and  the  material  was  marble.  The 
roof  may  have  been  made  of  timber  covered  with  mar- 
ble tiles.  The  plan  was  very  simple,  consisting  of  an 
oblong  space,  at  the  end  of  which  was  the  cella  or  sacred 
cell  in  which  stood  the  statue  of  Athena,  done  in  ivory 
and  gold.  The  temple  was  surrounded  by  colunms  and 
at  each  end  there  was  a  portico  eight  columns  wide  and 
two  deep. 

We  have  referred  to  the  sculptures  of  the  Greek  tem- 
ple as  its  crowning  ornament.  While  we  cannot  describe 
them,  we  may  show  where  they  were  placed,  that  is, 
how  they  were  used  to  decorate  the  building.  The  pedi- 
ment or  gable  contained  a  famous  group  of  figures,  their 
positions  so  arranged  as  to  fit  into  the  shape  of  the  gable. 
Most  of  those  now  left  are  preserved  in  the  British  Mu- 
seum. Around  the  outside  wall  of  the  cella  ran  a  frieze 
with  sculpture  almost  flat,  representing  the  great  fete 
that  took  place  at  Athens  every  four  years  in  honor  of  the 


44  Famous  Buildings 

goddess  Athena,  whose  statue,  forty  feet  high,  was  the 
gem  of  the  temple  and  stood  within  it.  Another  series 
of  rehefs,  called  metopes,  surrounded  the  building,  alter- 
nating with  the  ends  of  the  roof  beams. 

The  sculptures  which  adorned  the  Parthenon  were  the 
finest  the  world  has  ever  seen,  and  were  the  work  of 
Phidias  and  his  pupils.  The  marbles  of  the  pediment 
were  "  in  the  round,"  but  those  of  the  frieze,  also  very 
famous,  were  in  relief.  This  frieze  represented  all  that 
the  first  city  of  Greece  possessed  of  youth,  beauty,  no- 
bility, and  honor,  assembled  to  render  homage  to  the 
virgin  goddess  of  the  city  of  Athens.  This  fine  proces- 
sion displays  the  figures  all  in  positions  of  ease  and  grace, 
and  to  the  most  ordinary  incidents  is  given  ideality  and 
charm.  The  location  of  the  Parthenon  was  not  the  least 
of  its  beauties.  With  other  buildings,  it  crowned  the 
Acropolis  of  Athens. 

In  the  words  of  John  Addington  Symonds,  who  wrote 
beautifully  of  Greece  as  well  as  of  Italy,  "  The  Acropolis 
is  the  center  of  the  landscape,  splendid  as  a  work  of  art 
with  its  crown  of  temples;  and  the  sea,  surrhounted  by 
the  long,  low  hills,  is  the  boundary  to  which  the  eye 
is  led  ...  in  spite  of  time  and  violence,  the  Acropolis 
survives,  a  miracle  of  beauty ;  like  an  everlasting  flower, 
through  all  the  lapse  of  years  it  has  spread  its  coronal  of 
marbles  to  the  air.  The  exquisite  adaptation  of  Greek 
building,  to  Greek  landscape  has  been  enhanced  rather 
than  impaired  by  the  lapse  of  time. 

"  These  buildings  upon  the  Acropolis  are  as  useful  to 
the  scenery  around  them  as  the  everlasting  mountains, 
as  sympathetic  as  the  rest  of  nature  to  the  successions  of 


Greek  Architecture  45 

morning  and  evening  which  waken  them  to  passionate 
Hfe  by  the  magic  touch  of  color." 

Mahaffy  WTites :  "  The  Parthenon  remained  un- 
touched and  perfect  all  through  the  Middle  Ages.  Then 
it  became  a  mosque  and  survived  with  little  damage  till 
1687,  when,  in  the  bombardment  by  the  Venetians,  a 
shell  dropped  into  the  Parthenon,  where  the  Turks  had 
their  powder  stored,  and  blew  out  the  whole  center  of 
the  building.  Eight  or  nine  pillars  at  each  side  have 
been  thrown  down  and  have  left  a  large  gap,  which  so 
severs  the  front  and  rear  of  the  temple,  that,  from  the 
city  below  they  look  like  the  remains  of  two  different 
buildings :  —  but  the  Venetians  were  not  content  with 
their  exploit,  they  wished  to  take  down  the  sculptures  of 
Phidias  from  the  eastern  pediment ;  they  were  so  clumsy 
about  it  that  the  figures  fell  from  their  places  and  were 
dashed  to  pieces  on  the  ground." 

The  building  of  the  Parthenon  occupied  about  five 
years,  and  it  was  constructed  of  Pentelic  marble. 

Earth  proudly  wears  the  Parthenon 
As  the  best  gem  upon  her  zone. 

Ornament,  as  we  have  already  said,  ought  to  express 
rather  than  conceal  the  structure  of  a  building.  In  the 
Greek  buildings  we  find  this  true  in  many  ways.  Take, 
for  example,  the  Doric  order  of  capital  and  see  how 
well  in  the  most  simple  way,  it  is  adapted  to  hold  the 
lintel  in  place.  And  wherever  there  is  ornament  in  these 
temples,  notice  how  it  is  used  to  plainly  express  the 
structure,  just  as  we  have  said  good  architecture  ought 
to  do.     Notice,  for  instance,  that  the  vertical  members 


46 


Famous  Buildings 


carry  vertical  linings.  The  flutings  of  the  columns  make 
vertical  lines  to  the  eyes.  But,  when  we  come  to  the 
parts  that  were  horizontal,  see  how  the  lines  made  by 
the  ornamental  features  emphasize  this  and  band  the 
parts  together. 

If  we  examine  a  Greek  temple  with  reference  to  the 
table  on  page  1 1  we  shall  see  that  it  had  nearly  all  the 
elements  of  fitness,  strength,  and  beauty.  It  was  a  per- 
fect structure  there  and  then,  but  we  can  probably  think 
of  many  reasons  why  it  would  not  be  suitable  for  a  mod- 
ern business  house  in  modern  times. 


OTHER   GREEK    BUILDINGS. 

Having  come  to  understand  something  in  detail  of 
the  Doric  order,  we  may  take  a  glance  at  buildings  of 

the  other  orders, 
that  is,  of  the 
Ionic  and  the  Cor- 
inthian. 

The  Ionic  tem- 
ples are  not  so 
well  preserved  as 
the  Doric.  The 
most  important  of 
the  Ionic  temples 
left  to  us  is 
the  Erechtheum  at 
Athens.  It  dififers 
from  other  tem- 
ples in  its  irregularity.  This  makes  it  doubly  inter- 
esting for  it  shows  that  although  the  Greeks  nearly  al- 


Fig.  15.     Caryatids. 
Porch  of  the  Erechtheum  at  Athens. 


Greek  Architecture 


47 


ways  adhered  to  one  simple  form,  they  could  dispense 
with  it  when  they  wished.  In  the  Erechtheum,  they 
wished  to  provide 
for  several  shrines 
in  one  building, 
and  under  one 
roof.  The  irreg- 
ularity they  have 
made  so  beautiful 
and  interesting  that 
it  is  a  wonder  they 


The  Erechtheum,  Athens; 
eastern  elevation. 


did  not  repeat  the  idea  many  times  in  other  structures. 
Figure  15  shows  the  caryatids  in  the  porch  of  the  Erech- 
theum. A  caryatid  is  the  figure  of  a  woman  dressed  in 
long  robes,  serving  as  a  column  to  support  an  entabla- 
ture. Figure  16  shows  the  eastern  elevation  of  the 
Erechtheum.  Notice  the  style  of  the  capitals  as  well  as 
the  caryatids.  Its  two  colonnades  of  different  designs, 
its  remarkable  north  doorway,  and  the  famous  caryatid 
porch  to  the  south  are  unsurpassed.  Another  temple, 
that  of  Artemis  (Diana)  at  Ephesus,  was  known  as  one 
of  the  seven  wonders  of  the  ancient  world.  We  notice 
that  the  capitals  in  the  pictures  of  these  Ionic  buildings 
show  much  more  lightness  and  grace,  delicacy  and  elab- 
oration, than  those  of  the  Doric.  A  great  example  of 
the  third,  or  Corinthian  order  is  the  monument  of  Lysi- 
crates  at  Athens. 

STORY   AND   ANECDOTE. 

In  the  elder  days  of  art 

Builders  wrought  with  greatest  care 

Each  minute  and  unseen  part. 


48  Famous  Buildings 

Pope  said  of  the  Grecian  sfyle  of  house: 

'T  is  very  fine, 
But  where  d'ye  sleep  and  where  d'ye  dine  ? 
I  find  by  all  you  have  been  telling 
That  't  is  a  house  but  not  a  dwelling. 

All  Greek  temples  faced  the  east  and  in  front  of  them 
there  was  an  altar  for  the  sacrifices. 

While  we  find  such  praise  due  to  Greek  perfection, 
let  us  remember  that  the  Greeks  worked  on  one  type 
of  building  in  one  simple  style  for  nearly  six  centuries. 

As  we  look  back  to  the  Greece  of  the  period  of  its 
great  buildings,  it  seems  to  us  like  a  vision  of  the  distant 
past.  And  so  it  is.  But  when  Phidias  and  Pericles  and 
Homer  looked  at  the  monuments  of  Egypt,  if  they  did 
look  at  them,  they  were  viewing  a  past  as  old  to  them 
as  theirs  is  to  us.     They  too  could  talk  of  the  ancients! 

"  Where  on  the  ^gean  shore  a  city  stands, 
Built  nobly,  pure  the  air  and  light  the  soil ; 
Athens,  the  eye  of  Greece,  mother  of  arts  and  eloquence." 

Milton. 

Some  one  has  said  that  classic  art  was  national  while 
Gothic  art  was  devotional  —  that  the  pagan  was  the  better 
artist,  the  Christian  the  better  teacher. 


"Acanthus  Leaf." 


ROMAN  ARCHITECTURE 

Roman  architecture  has  been  called  merely  Greek  archi- 
tecture imitated  with  greater  richness  but  less  refine- 
ment. No  doubt  the  Greeks  were  greater  originators, 
but  the  Romans  were  more  practical,  and,  being  great 
builders  they  extended  the  art  in  every  direction.  Yet, 
where  they  changed  or  modified  the  Greek,  they  did  not 
always  improve  it. 

The  one  great  feature  of  the  Roman  architecture  was 
the  use  of  the  arch.  Arches  had  been  made  before,  but 
the  Romans  made  them  the  basis  of  their  designs,  and 
this  changed  the  whole  appearance  of  their  buildings  and 
and  created  a  new  architectural  style.  The  Greeks  built 
in  nearly  straight  lines,  but  the  Romans  used  the  arch, 
and  hence,  come  the  curves  of  Roman  architecture,  and 
of  the  later  styles  that  grew  out  of  it.  Incidentally,  the 
use  of  concrete,  which  is  cement  or  ground  rock  and  sand 
mixed  while  wet,  and  hardening  into  a  solid  mass  as  the 
mixture  dries,  changed  the  nature  of  their  buildings,  and 
made  possible  the  dome  of  the  Pantheon.  The  Romans 
did  not  confine  themselves  to  building  temples,  but  erected 
huge  theaters,  circuses,  baths,  and  triumphal  arches,  all  of 
which  are  characteristic  of  the  work  of  this  great  people. 

Like  the  Greeks,  whom  they  conquered,  the  Romans 
were  a  free  people.  They  were  very  war-like,  and  con- 
quered the  then  known  world  and  kept  it  and  ruled  it,  too, 
for  nearly  a  thousand  years.  They  were  a  race  of  build- 
ers for  several  times  as  long  as  the  Greeks,  and  that  shows 

49 


Roman  Architecture  51 

us  why  we  find  so  many  more  buildings,  or  remains  of 
buildings,  of  the  Romans  than  of  the  Greeks.  It  also 
shows  why  they  were  able  to  do  greater  things  and  bigger, 
things.  They  were  not  so  refined  or  learned  as  the 
Greeks  and  what  they  did  in  the  way  of  buildings,  and 
the  other  fine  arts,  was  largely  learned  from  the  Greeks 
whom  they  had  conquered.  We  may  almost  say  that  the 
chief  business  of  the  Romans  of  those  times  was  to  go  to 
war  and  to  conquer  new  provinces,  and  the  triumphal  arch 
is  one  of  the  curious  products  of  this  time,  being  built  to 
commemorate  the  victories  of  their  Generals. 

Thus,  conquering,  they  grew  very  rich  and  became  fond 
of  amusements,  which  accounts  for  their  great  amphi- 
theaters, and  the  extensive  and  luxurious  baths.  The 
amphitheater  was  a  Roman  invention.  Of  the  buildings 
selected  we  shall  study  one  amphitheater  and  one  great 
temple  dedicated  to  their  gods.  Even  their  gods  they  bor- 
rowed from  the  Greeks,  changing  them  to  suit  themselves, 
and  adding  to  their  number  to  fit  their  different  ideas. 

To  examine  many  of  the  buildings  of  the  past,  it  has 
been  necessary  to  dig  into  the  earth,  and  when  we  visit 
Rome,  we  shall  find  that  the  Forum  of  the  ancient  city 
had  to  be  excavated  in  order  that  the  foundations  of  the 
buildings  could  be  seen.  In  Egypt,  where  the  buildings 
are  much  older,  it  is  sometimes  true  that  as  many  as  eleven 
cities  have  been  built,  each  on  top  of  the  last  one  buried. 
This  is  because  the  ground  gradually  rises  where  people 
live  in  cities.  It  may  not  be  as  much  as  a  foot  in  one 
hundred  years,  but  enough  soil  accumulates  in  one  way  or 
another  so  that  by  and  by  the  buildings  are  half  buried. 
With  the  buildings,  much  of  the  history  of  ancient  times 


52 


Famous  Buildings 


has  been  dug  out  of  the  earth,  and  the  science  which  tells 
about  this  is  called  archaeology. 


CHIEF    CHARACTERISTICS. 

We  have  already  spoken  of  the  arch  as  the  one  great 
characteristic  of  the  Roman  style.  We  all  know  what  an 
arch  is,  but,  could  we  define  it  in  words?  Put  in  the 
simplest  language,  an  arch  may  be  described  as  a  vertical 
segment  of  wedge-shaped  stones  which  support  each  other 
over  an  opening;  or,  another  description  is:  that  the  arch 
is  a  method  of  supporting  materials  above  a  void  or,  of 
making  the  materials  support  each  other  by  their  mutual 

compression.  Figure  i8 
shows  arch  construction 
over  piers  in  an  aqueduct. 
Aqueducts  of  masonry 
were  very  common  in 
Roman  times,  for  the 
Romans  did  not  know 
that  water  might  be  car- 
ried in  pipes,  and  would 
rise   to    the   level    of    its 


Fig.  i8.     Arch  Construction. 
(Piers  of  an  aqueduct.) 


source,  and  they  often  built  these  immense  structures, 
many  miles  in  length,  to  supply  cities  with  water.  The 
one  shown  is  at  Segovia,  Spain. 

This  arch  feature  has  been  used  in  subsequent  styles, 
especially  in  the  Romanesque;  and  we  must  try  to  find 
some  easy  way  of  distinguishing  the  older  style,  that  is, 
the  Roman.  We  shall  find  this  partly  in  the  use  to  which 
buildings  were  put,  for  it  is  easy  to  see  the  difference  be- 
tween a  great  amphitheater,  like  the  Colosseum,  and  a 


Roman  Architecture 


53 


great  Pagan  temple,  from  their  very  shape  and  general 
appearance.  All  the  buildings  of  the  Roman  style  were 
Pagan,  that  is,  they  were  for  the  worship  of  the  heathen 
gods,  in  whom  nobody  now 
believes.  The  Romans  had 
some  of  the  same  ancestry  as 
the  Greeks,  but  were  of  more 
mixed  descent,  and  different 
in  character,  being  warriors 
and  practical  men  rather  than 
artists  and  poets.  When 
Rome  conquered  the  Greek 
cities,  Athens,  Corinth,  Syra- 
cuse, and  the  others,  and 
enslaved  their  inhabitants, 
she  was  ready  to  learn  their 
of  their  culture 


Fig.  19.  Drawing  showing  the 
parts  of  an  arch,  a,  abut- 
ment ;  V,  voussoirs ;  s,  spring- 
ers ;  i,  imposts ;  In,  intrados ; 
p,  piers;  k,  keystone;  Ex, 
extrados. 


arts,  and  absorb  some 
"  It  is  an  unfailing  rule,  that,  with 
the  changes  due  to  progress,  the  structural  forms  em- 
ployed in  the  architecture  of  one  age  become  the  deco- 
rative features  of  the  succeeding  age,"  says  Hamlin.  Col- 
umns were  very  freely  used  in  the  Roman  buildings  and, 
so  we  see  the  columns  used  as  the  real  support  of  a  Greek 
temple  adopted  by  the  Roman  as  an  ornament  and  often 
used  to  support  nothing  whatever,  but  merely  a  pleasing 
decoration.  This  was  not  so  marked  with  them  as  in  the 
Renaissance  that  developed  from  the  Roman  centuries 
afterwards.  The  Roman  and  Greek  were  the  two  great 
columnar  styles,  and  we  must  soon  study  how  the  Romans 
made  over  the  three  Greek  orders  and  improved  upon  them. 
The  Roman  arch  made  possible  the  impressive  effect  of 
great  interiors  unincumbered  by  columns  or  support  such 


54 


Famous  Buildings 


as  in  the  Pantheon,  the  noblest  antique  example  of  all. 
In  connection  with  Roman,  we  often  hear  of  Etruscan 
architecture,  and  we  should  know  something  about  it.  It 
was  the  architecture  of  the  Etrurians  of  northern  Italy 
who  had  a  higher  and  earlier  civilization  than  the  Romans 
themselves.  Little  is  now  left  of  their  architecture  ex- 
cept remains  of  their 
giant  masonry  as  at 
Perugia  and  their 
tombs,  but  we  know 
that  they  used  the  true 
arch,  and  built  circular 
buildings  which  the 
Romans  imitated  as  in 
the  Pantheon  and  the 
Castello  St.  Angelo. 

When  an  architect 
wishes  to  build,  he  must 
first  draw  his  plans,  and 
specify  every  article 
that  the  builder  is  to 
put  into  the  structure, 
the  quantities  of  each, 
and  how  they  shall  be 
installed.  It  is  easy  to 
see  what  great  knowledge  and  skill  are  required  to  do  all 
of  this  accurately.  But,  much  greater  is  the  knowledge 
and  skill  required  to  conceive,  in  the  mind,  the  structure 
before  it  is  begun.  This  sort  of  thing  had  all  been  done 
before  Roman  times,  but  the  Romans  went  far  ahead  of 
all  their  predecessors  in  the  planning  of  their  buildings. 


Fig.  20.  Plan  of  the  Pantheon,  Rome. 
A,  the  rotunda ;  B,  the  portico. 
The  light  shaded  parts  represent 
existing  foundations  whence  once 
arose  the  walls  of  the  ancient  baths. 


Roman  Architecture 


55 


Theirs  was  the  pioneer  abihty  in  conceiving  a  logical  plan 
without  which  all  later  developments  of  architectural  art 
would  have  been  impossible. 

Among  the  greatest  achievements  of  the  Roman  style 
was  the  bath,  and  one  of  these  was  connected  with  the 
Pantheon  itself,  the  plans  of  which,  with  reference  to  the 
Pantheon  are  shown  on  page  54. 
The  baths  were  great  public  build- 
ings, very  expensive  and  magnifi- 
cent. There  were  separate  places 
for  warm,  cold,  tepid  and  hot 
baths;  apartments  for  rubbing 
and  oiling  the  body,  as  well  as  for 
conversation  and  amusement ;  and 
the  whole  was  skilfully  planned. 

THE    ROMAN    ORDERS. 

The  Roman  orders  are  merely 
modifications  of  the  Greek  orders 
which  have  been  fully  described 
on  pages  35  to  38.  It  is  interest- 
ing, however,  to  compare  the  two 

bv  looking  at  the  pictures.     The  t^.  ^  ,         ,^ 

°  '^  .  rig.  21.     Column  (luscan 

Roman  orders  were  five  in  nuni-  Order),  illustrating  the 
ber  instead  of  three.  IrS'paTtf  ""^ '°  '^'  ''"" 


TUSCAN   ORDER. 


The  Tuscan  was  the  name  of  the  first  or  mpst  simple. 
Figure  21  shows  us  a  column  of  this  style,  with  all  parts 
clearly  indicated.  The  Tuscan  column  admits  no  orna- 
ment and  is  never  fluted,  and  it  differs  so  little  from  the 


56 


Famous  Buildings 


Roman  Doric  that  it  is  generally  regarded  as  being  a 
variety  of  the  latter. 


ROMAN    DORIC    ORDER. 

This  order  was  so  similar  to  the  Tuscan  as  to  be  prac- 
tically the  same  thing  and  takes  its  place  between  the  Tus- 
can and  the  noble,  simple  Doric  order  of  the  Greeks, 

THE   ROMAN    IONIC   ORDER. 

The  Roman  form  of  the  Ionic  order  is  similar  to  the 
Greek,  but  it  gives  to  the  capital  four  diagonal  volutes 
and  the  sides  of  the  abacus  are  curved. 
This  is  a  very  important  difference,  es- 
pecially in  determining  whether  a  given 
capital  is  Greek  or  Roman.  Note  the 
curved  abacus  in  Figure  25. 

THE  ROMAN   CORINTHIAN  ORDER. 

The  Roman  Corinthian  differed  little 
from  the  Greek  (Figure  22).  It  was 
the  most  ornate  and  slender  of  the  five 
Roman  orders,  and  bears  the  garlands 
of  acanthus  leaves  as  its  distinguish- 
ing feature. 

THE    COMPOSITE    ORDER. 


22.     Corinthian 
Capital. 

This  cut  shows  the 
Corinthian     as     it 
was 
the  Romans. 


This  was  a  distinctively  Roman  or- 
'Hmfn^'^  ^y  der,  although  its  features  were  copied 
from  the  Greek  (Figure  23),  It  was 
called  composite  because  the  capital  which  charac- 
terizes it  is  a  compound  of  those  of  the  other  orders.     It 


Roman  Architecture 


57 


borrows  the  quarter-round  molding 
from  the  Tuscan  and  Doric,  a  rank 
of  leaves  from  the  Corinthian,  and 
volutes  from  the  Ionic  period. 

THE    COLOSSEUM. 

No  Roman  town  of  importance, 

either  in   Italy  or  in  the  Colonies, 

was  considered  complete  without  its 

amphitheater.     The  most  important 

of  those  still  existing  are  at  Rome, 

Verona,  Pola,  Capua,  Pozzuoli,  and 

Pompeii,   in  Italy;  at   Syracuse,   in 

Sicily;  and  at  Nimes  and  Aries,  in 

the    south    of    France.     Figure    24 

shows  the  interior  of  an  old  Roman 

theater  in  Asia  Minor. 

The  largest  and  most  famous  is  the  Colosseum,  built 

on  the  site  of  Nero's  "  Golden  House  "  by  the  Flavian 

Emperors,  Vespasian,  Titus,  and  Domitian,  and  opened 

for  use  in  the  year  80  a.d.     Like  all  the  others,  it  is 

elliptical  in  plan,  be- 
S  ing  about  620  feet  m 
M  length  by  over  500  in 
width.  The  arena  it- 
self is  about  290  feet 
by  180  feet,  and 
around  this  are 
grouped     the     seats 

which   rise   in   tiers. 
Interior  of  old  Roman  Theater  1  .,         ,, 

in  Asia  Minor.  One  above  the  other, 


Composite 
(Roman.) 


Fig.  24. 


58  Famous  Buildings 

supported  by  vaults  of  concrete  and  by  piers  of  stone. 
Each  section  of  this  great  auditorium  has  its  separate  en- 
trance, which  opens  into  a  wide  corridor  running  all 
around  the  building.  As  with  our  theaters,  each  seat 
was  lettered  or  numbered,  and  the  tickets  of  admission 
bore  corresponding  marks.  The  rooms  for  gladiators, 
the  dens  for  wild  beasts,  and  store-rooms  for  scenery  and 
so  forth  were  under  the  level  of  the  arena.  The  l>easts 
were  prevented  from  jumping  among  the  people  by  the 
walls  around  the  arena,  on  top  of  which  were  metal 
railings. 

The  entire  area  of  the  auditorium  was  covered  by 
an  immense  awning  stretched  from  masts,  fixed  on  the 
outside  of  the  building,  to  the  top  of  other  masts  around 
the  arena.  At  least  40,000  spectators  could  be  provided 
with  seats,  and  some  authorities  think  as  high  as  80,000 
people  sometimes  attended  at  once. 

Ruined  as  it  now  is,  no  building  in  existence  gives  such 
an  impression  of  imposing  size,  and  apart  from  all  his- 
torical and  sentimental  interest,  the  power  of  this  build- 
ing grips  one  like  a  vise.  The  imposing  appearance  of 
the  Colosseum  is  due  far  more  to  the  sweeping  lines  of 
the  entablatures,  and  to  the  re-duplication  of  parts,  than 
to  its  mere  size.  The  lowest  story  is  of  the  Doric  order, 
the  second  is  Ionic,  the  third  Corinthian  and  the  fourth 
Composite. 

Firm  Doric  pillars  formed  the  solid  base, 

The  fair  Corinthian  crowned  the  higher  space. 

And  all  below  is  strength,  and  all  above  is  grace. 

There  is  a  certain  logic  in  thus  having  the  plainest, 
simplest,  and  in  appearance  the  strongest  of  the  columns 


Roman  Architecture 


59 


on  the  bottom  tier,  which  must  support  those  above  it. 
The  columns  on  the  exterior  of  the  Colosseum  were  what 
is  known  as  "  engaged  columns."  They  were  not  there 
to  support  the  weight  above,  as  in  the  Greek  temples,  for 
that  was  done  by  the  walls,  but  they  were  made  to  appear 
as  though  they  did.  They  were  built  into  the  wall  so 
as  to  look  as  though  a  part  of  the  col- 
umn were  concealed.  This  is  a  de- 
parture from  the  Greek  ideal  as  well  as 
from  our  statement  of  the  principle 
that  forms  in  architecture  should 
express  their  use ;  that  is,  that  they 
should  have  a  real  constructive  mean- 
ing. The  Romans  here  used  a  Greek 
form  for  ornament  only,  but  their  walls 
were  so  massive  that  the  structure 
looked  much  better  for  this  ornamenta- 
tion, and  it  was  fitted  in  appearance  to 
the  character  of  the  building.  This 
excuses  the  Romans,  who  did  not  pre- 
tend to  be  following  out  Greek  ideals. 
But  we  shall  see  how  a  certain  school 
of  architects,  hundreds  of  years  later, 
carried  this  meaningless  imitation  to 
such  an  extent  as  to  build  columns  in 
this  same  way  into  many  buildings  now  held  in  low 
esteem.  Figure  25  shows  engaged  columns.  These 
are  semi-columns  from  the  Maison  Caree  at  Nimes. 
France. 

We  may  note  in  the  Colosseum  that  its  oval  shape  grew 
out  of  the  fact  that  it  was  built  to  afford  a  view  of  the 


Fig.  25.  Engaged 
columns  from 
the  Maison  Ca- 
r6e  at  Ntmes, 
France. 


6o  Famous  Buildings 

rings  or  arena  within.  Emerson  says  that  any  one  may 
see  its  origin  who  looks  at  a  crowd  running  together  to 
see  a  fight,  an  accident,  or  any  unusual  appearance  in  the 
street.  The  first  comers  gather  round  in  a  circle ;  those 
behind  stand  on  tiptoe;  and  further  back  they  climb  on 
fences  or  window-sills  and  so  made  a  cup  of  which  the 
object  of  attention  occupies  the  hollow  arena.  The  archi- 
tect only  pushed  up  some  benches  and  enclosed  the  cup 
with  a  wall  —  and  behold  a  colosseum !  Emerson  tells 
this  to  illustrate  his  principle :  "  Whatever  is  beautiful 
rests  on  the  foundation  of  the  necessary." 

STORY    AND    ANECDOTE. 

Nothing  is  known  with  certainty  as  to  the  architect  of 
the  Colosseum,  though  tradition  ascribes  the  building  to 
Gaudentius,  a  Christian  martyr  who,  afterwards,  suffered 
on  the  spot.  At  its  dedication,  there  were  battles  and 
combats  of  gladiators,  and  five  thousand  animals  were 
slain  within  its  circuit.  The  show  was  crowned  with  the 
flooding  of  the  arena  and  a  sea-fight. 

Great  as  is  the  Colosseum,  another  Roman  building, 
the  Circus  Maximus,  now  entirely  obliterated,  was  more 
than  four  times  as  large,  and  contained  seats  for  three 
hundred  and  sixty  thousand  people. 

In  the  year  1332,  a  bull-fight  after  the  fashion  of  the 
Moors  and  Spaniards  was  celebrated  in  the  Colosseum 
itself  and  the  spectacle  was  described  in  a  diary  of  the 
times.  The  lots  of  the  champions  were  drawn  by  an  old 
and  respectable  citizen,  and  the  gladiators  descended  into 
the  arena  or  pit  to  encounter  the  wild  bulls  on  foot,  as  it 


Roman  Architecture  6l 

would  seem,  with  a  single  spear.  Combats  in  the  amphi- 
theater were  dangerous  and  bloody. 

Every  champion  successively  encountered  a  wild  bull, 
and  the  victory  may  be  ascribed  to  the  quadruped  since 
no  more  than  eleven  were  left  on  the  field,  with  a  loss  of 
nine  wounded  and  eighteen  killed  on  the  side  of  their 
adversaries.  Some  of  the  noblest  families  might  mourn, 
but  the  pomp  of  the  funerals  afforded  a  second  holiday 
to  the  people. 

The  topmost  seats  were  for  women  of  the  lower  classes 
and  no  ticket  was  required  for  the  gallery,  so  that  to  gain 
a  seat  here  it  was  necessary  to  be  at  the  amphitheater  be- 
fore sun-rise. 

It  is  said  that  Gregory  the  Great  presented  some  for- 
eign ambassadors  with  a  handful  of  earth  from  the  arena 
as  a  relic  for  their  sovereigns,  and,  upon  receiving  the 
gift  with  disrespect,  he  pressed  it  in  his  hands,  whereupon 
blood  flowed  from  the  soil. 

Matthew  Arnold  says  of  the  great  ruin :  "  I  gazed 
upon  the  scene  with  intense  and  mingled  feeling.  The 
world  could  show  nothing  greater." 

Condemned  criminals  made  up  a  large  contingent  of 
the  fighters  in  the  arena.  The  gladiators  marched  into 
the  amphitheater  in  processions  and  saluted  the  Emperor 
with  the  words :  "  Hail,  Caesar,  those  about  to  die  salute 
thee." 

When  a  gladiator  was  w^ounded  severely,  the  people 
shouted  "  Habet,"  and  if  they  wished  the  wounded  man 
to  be  killed,  they  turned  up  their  thumbs.  If  a  man  had 
fought  valiantly,  they  often  spared  him.     The  amphi- 


62  Famous  Buildings 

theater  could  be  flooded  when  nautical  combats  were  ex- 
hibited and  the  spectators  could  watch  the  slowly  failing 
struggles  of  the  drowning.  The  air  was  cooled  by  foun- 
tains scented  with  perfumes,  and,  as  the  show  lasted 
through  the  whole  day,  food  had  to  be  distributed  at 
various  intervals. 

"  They  who  will,"  writes  Charles  Dickens,  "  may  have 
the  whole  great  pile  before  them  as  it  used  to  be,  with 
thousands  of  eager  faces  staring  down  into  the  arena. 
It  is  the'  most  impressive,  the  most  stately,  the  most  sol- 
emn, grand,  majestic,  mournful  sight  conceivable." 

The  name  Colosseum  is  probably  derived  from  its  great 
size;  it  is  colossal.     Byron  quotes  the  following  saying: 

While  stands  the  Colosseum,  Rome  shall  stand; 
When  falls  the  Colosseum,  Rome  shall  fall; 
And  when  Rome  falls,  the  world. 

Once  or  twice  every  winter,  the  Colosseum  is  illumi- 
nated. 

THE   PANTHEON. 

The  word  "  Pantheon  "  may  mean  "  very  sacred,"  but 
the  usual  interpretation  is  "  Temple  of  all  the  Gods." 

The  Pantheon  is  unique  in  Rome  —  in  the  world  — 
as  a  building  which  has  been  in  use  for  nearly  1800  ye^ars 
and  still  retains  its  old  walls  and  vaulting.  The  bronze 
doors,  though  much  restored,  are  originals  The  door- 
way is  40  feet  high  and  20  feet  wide,  and  the  old  bronze 
doors,  the  oldest  and  finest  in  Rome,  are  26  feet  6  inches 
high,  a  bronze  lattice  filling  the  rest  of  the  space.  The 
interior  is  remarkable.  All  the  light  enters  from  the 
round  hole  in  the  dome  which  is  about  28  feet  in  diame- 


64  Famous  Buildings 

ter.  Yet  this  light  is  ample  and,  what  is  more  important, 
it  is  perfectly  evenly  distributed.  No  lighting  ever  de- 
vised gave  so  fine  an  effect. 

There  are  really  two  parts  to  the  Pantheon,  the  cir- 
cular part  or  rotunda  and  the  portico.  The  portico  was 
originally  a  part  of  a  temple  built  by  Agrippa,  but  was 
not  put  in  its  present  place  until  some  time  after  the  great 
rotunda  was  built  by  Hadrian  (117  a.d.).  It  is  poorly 
joined  to  the  main  edifice.  Notice  the  sixteen  columns 
which  are  of  red  and  gray  granite.  The  pitch  of  the 
roof  of  this  portico  is  steeper  than  that  of  the  Greek 
temples,  and  than  other  Roman  ones.  Place  your  thumb 
over  the  apex  of  the  gable  so  as  to  produce  the  effect  of 
lowering  the  gable  and  see  if  you  do  not  think  it  improves 
the  looks  of  the  building.  The  name  of  Agrippa  still 
shows  on  the  front,  but  the  sculptures  of  bronze,  which 
once  filled  the  pediment,  have  disappeared.  Twelve  su- 
perb granite  Corinthian  columns  50  feet  high  support  the 
portico. 

The  rotunda  is  splendidly  preserved;  the  interior  has 
all  the  appearance  of  the  original  paneling  of  marble. 
It  measures  145  feet  in  diameter  internally,  but  the  walls 
are  20  feet  thick  —  to  support  the  great  dome  that  rises 
to  a  height  of  140  feet.  Around  the  rotunda  are  seven 
niches  alternately  rectangular  and  semi-circular,  and 
fronted  by  Corinthian  columns. 

There  is  a  quiet  magnificence  about  this  building  which 
is  unequaled.  We  visit  many  churches  in  a  trip  to  Eu- 
rope, and  many  galleries,  and  see  many  great  buildings, 
but  there  is  none  that  takes  a  stronger  hold  upon  our 
feelings  and  our  memory  than  the  Pantheon. 


Roman  Architecture 


65 


There  is  an  important  point  to  note  about  the  dome. 
To  build  so  huge  a  dome  of  separate  pieces  of  stone  was 
a  thing  no  one  could  have  done.  Hundreds  of  years  later 
the  problem  of  building  such  a  dome  at  Florence  was 
more  than  all  the 
architects  could 
engineer  until  one 
great  man  solved 
it.  The  reason  for 
the  difficulty  is 
the  great  thrust 
or  pressure  out- 
wards upon  the 
walls,  which  so 
heavy  a  weight 
induces.     But  the 

dome  of  the  Pantheon  is  practically  of  solid  concrete,  so 
that  there  is  not  the  same  outward  pressure,  but  chiefly 
a  downward  pressure.  The  dome  rests  almost  like  a 
solid  lid  upon  the  walls  beneath.  Figure  27  is  a  sectional 
view  of  the  Pantheon  showing  the  use  of  vaulting,  arches, 
and  columns,  and  Figure  20  shows  the  ground  plan,  and 
also  that  of  the  baths,  which  were,  formerly,  a  part  of 
the  structure. 


Fig.  27. 


Sectional  view  of  the  Pantheon, 
Rome. 


STORY   AND   ANECDOTE. 

It  is  said  that,  while  the  Emperor  Charles  V  was  in 
Rome  (1536),  he  ascended  the  roof  of  the  Pantheon  ac- 
companied, among  others,  by  one  of  the  Crescenzi  family. 
The  latter  youth  afterwards  vaunted  that  he  had  been 
half-a-mind  to  push  his  majesty  into  the  abyss;  and  so 


66  Famous  Buildings 

to  have  avenged  the  cruel  sacking  of  the  city  ten  years 
previously.  Hearing  it,  his  father  retorted  bitterly: 
"  We  Crescenzis  were  used  to  do  things,  not  to  talk  of 
doing  them." 

It  has  become  a  burial-place  of  painters,  among  them 
Raphael.     A  picture  of  his  funeral  by  Rogers  follows : 

When  Raphael  went, 
His  heavenly  face  the  mirror  of  his  mind, 
His  mind  a  temple  for  all  lovely  things 
To  flock  to  and  inhabit  —  when  he  went. 
Wrapt  in  his  sable  cloak,  the  cloak  beware. 
To  sleep  beneath  the  venerable  Dome, 
By  those  attended  who  in  life  had  loved. 
Had  worshiped,  following  in  his  steps  to  Fame 
('Twas  on  an  April  day  when  Nature  smiles), 
All  Rome  was  there  ...  all  were  moved: 
And  sighs  burst  forth,  and  loudest  lamentations. 

The  Pantheon  contains  many  tombs  and  valuable 
relics.  Once  a  year  the  great  doors  are  opened  wide  to 
admit  the  crowds  who  throng  to  pay  their  tribute  of  re- 
spect and  love  to  the  remains  of  the  assassinated  King 
Humbert.  A  circular  row  of  great  candles,  each 
many  feet  high,  is  placed  around  the  interior,  and  cart- 
loads of  flowers  are  used  for  decoration.  A  book  is 
provided  in  which  visitors  at  this  time  write  their  names, 
and  it  is  a  solemn  and  beautiful  sight  to  watch  the  lead- 
ing citizens  of  Rome  come  to  pay  their  respects. 

Byron  says  of  the  Pantheon :  '  ■ 

Simple,  erect,  severe,  austere,  sublime  — 
Shrine  of  all  saints  and  temple  of  all  Gods, 
From  Jove  to  Jesus  —  spared  and  blessed  by  time. 
Looking  tranquillity,  while  falls  or  nods 


Roman  Architecture  67 

Arch,  empire,  each  thing  round  thee,  and  man  plods 
His  way  through  thorns  to  ashes  —  glorious  Dome  ! 
Shalt  thou  not  last?     Time's  scythe  and  tyrants'  rods 
Shine  upon  thee  —  sanctuary  and  home 
Of  art  and  piety  —  Pantheon  !     Pride  of  Rome  ! 

OTHER    BUILDINGS    OF    THE   ROMAN    STYLE. 

So  many  and  so  wonderful  are  the  buildings  of  this 
style  that  we  cannot  do  more  than  mention  a  few.  The 
baths,  or  thermae,  were  the  greatest  of  all  in  size  and 
splendor,  and  were  fitted  up  with  the  greatest  luxury. 
Important  parts  of  some  of  these  remain.  Remains  of 
a  few  private  houses  and  great  palaces  are  still  to  be  seen, 
and  the  triumphal  arches  are  the  admiration  of  all  trav- 
elers. 

It  has  been  said  that  Architecture  is  the  only  one  of 
the  fine  arts  that  is  useful.  But  some  of  these  structures, 
such  as  the  triumphal  arches,  were  purely  ornamental. 
These  triumphal  arches,  as  has  been  mentioned  before, 
were  built  to  signalize  some  great  military  victory,  and 
at  one  time  there  were  nearly  forty.  The  chief  ones  now 
to  be  seen  at  Rome  are  the  Arch  of  Titus,  and  the  Arch 
of  Constantine.  Figure  28  represents  the  Arch  of 
Constantine.  The  exterior  w^as  always  elaborate;  done 
in  cut  stone,  and  marble  with  columns  or  pilasters.  The 
pilaster  was  in  imitation  of  a  column,  but  was  only  a 
projection  from  the  wall  of  a  flat  rectangular  form. 
Above,  there  was  a  rich  entablature  with  inscriptions. 

ARCH    OF   CONSTANTINE. 

In  general  effect,  the  most  impressive  of  Roman  tri- 
umphal arches  is  the  Arch  of  Constantine,  dedicated  in 


fe 


Roman  Architecture  69 

A.D.  315.  It  has  three  archways.  Each  front  is  orna- 
mented with  four  Corinthian  columns,  on  pedestals,  sup- 
porting blocks  of  the  entablature,  which,  with  the  dies 
resting  on  them,  themselves  in  turn,  form  pedestals  for 
statues. 

Above  the  entablature  is  a  high  attic,  the  central  com- 
partment of  which  bears  inscriptions;  the  others  contain 
reliefs  taken  from  the  monument  of  Trajan.  Over  the 
two  smaller  side  arches  are  four  circular  medallions 
showing  scenes  from  Trajan's  life.  Beneath,  there  is  a 
narrow  band  with  sculptured  scenes  from  Constantine's 
campaigns. 

In  the  spandrels  of  the  central  arch  are  carved  vic- 
tories, while  in  the  spandrels  of  the  side  arches  are  river 
deities  and  nymphs. 

Notice  other  reliefs  on  the  side  walls  of  the  arches. 
It  is  upon  the  reliefs  that  the  claim  to  excellence  of  this 
arch  chiefly  rests. 

ARCH    OF   TITUS. 

This  arch  is  one  of  the  simplest  in  its  scheme,  and  yet 
the  most  effective  of  the  Roman  triumphal  arches.  The 
capitals  of  the  engaged  columns  at  the  angles  of  the 
piers  are  the  earliest  examples  of  the  Composite  order. 
On  the  keystones  are  sculptured  an  armed  female  figure 
and  a  male  divinity  holding  a  cornucopia ;  these  represent 
a  pair  of  deities  worshiped  by  the  army  —  Virtus  (man- 
liness) and  Honor  (Glory).  Notice  the  reliefs  in  the 
passageway.  That  on  the  north  side  portrays  Titus  in 
his  sacred  car;  he  is  crowned  by  victory,  and  the  horses 
are  held  by  Rome  herself.     On  the  south  side  we  see  the 


70  Famous  Buildings 

procession  approaching  an  arch  represented  in  perspective. 
The  treasures  of  the  temple  of  Jerusalem,  including  the 
seven  branched  candlestick  and  the  golden  trumpets,  are 
being  carried  on  stretchers.  The  reliefs  of  this  monu- 
ment are  taken  by  critics  to  mark  an  advance,  an  epoch, 
in  the  history  of  Art.  They  show  scenes  with  fidelity 
and  give  the  illusion  of  real  events  in  the  open  air. 

We  know  very  little  of  the  lives  of  architects  at  the 
time  of  Rome.  The  Emperors  (of  whom  Hadrian  was 
one  of  the  greatest)  themselves  were  active  in  directing 
their  great  buildings. 

Vitruvius  was  a  famous  Roman  architect  and  military 
engineer  under  Caesar  and  Augustus.  His  treatise  on 
Architecture,  in  ten  volumes,  is  the  only  surviving  Ro- 
man treatise  on  the  subject. 


EARLY  CHRISTIAN  ARCHITECTURE 

We  have  spoken  of  how  one  style  of  architecture  de- 
velops from  another,  and  we  are  now  to  look  briefly  at  a 
form  which  is  chiefly  important  as  being  a  link  in  the 
chain  of  styles. 

There  are  not  many  important  buildings  of  the  Early 
Christian  style.  It  came  into  being  at  a  time  when  not 
much  building  was  going  on  —  that  is,  during  the  early 
centuries  of  Christianity  —  and  what  good  examples 
there  are,  are  nearly  all  churches.  During  the  first  three 
centuries  of  the  Christian  era  Christianity  was  under  the 
ban  of  persecution,  and  there  was  not  much  chance  for  it 
to  manifest  itself  in  great  architecture.  But,  early  in 
the  fourth  century,  Constantine  became  Emperor  and 
was  converted  to  Christianity.  He  made  Christianity 
the  State  religion. 

Constantine  founded  three  large  basilicas  in  Rome, 
all  of  which  have  been  buried  or  destroyed.  The  chief 
objects  to  be  thought  of  in  these  churches  was  to  build 
without  too  much  cost,  to  do  it  quickly,  and  to  accommo- 
date large  congregations.  A  great  structural  principle 
which  they  used  in  roofing,  or  spanning  spaces,  is  the 
truss.  This  is  a  frame  of  beams,  or  of  beams  and  rods, 
so  disposed  and  fastened  as  to  make  a  continuous  sup- 
port or  bridge  across  an  open  space.  The  truss  was  used 
by  the  Romans  in  roofing  their  basilicas. 

71 


72  Famous  Buildings 

CHIEF    FEATURES. 

As  the  great  Romanesque  style  grew  out  of  this  early 
Christian  architecture,  let  us  look  at  the  main  features 
of  the  earlier  and  simpler  style.  Some  of  the  most  im- 
portant of  these  features  are  preserved  also  in  the  Gothic 
church  and  we  shall  wish  to  see,  as  we  very  easily  can  see, 
how  they  grew  out  of  this  first  early  Christian  style. 
The  buildings  of  this  style  were  simple  in  form,  but  of 
noble  proportions,  and,  though  very  plain  without,  they 
were  often  gorgeous  within.  A  notable  circumstance 
about  the  early  Christian  work  is  the  fact  that  its  monu- 
ments were  built  largely  from  ruins  and  fragments  quar- 
ried from  earlier  Roman  work.  No  doubt  much  beauty 
was  ruthlessly  destroyed  in  this  way. 

Before  the  Christian  era  Cato  borrowed  from  the 
Greeks  their  hall  of  justice;  the  first  one  being  erected 
in  Rome  about  190  years  before  Christ.  These  basili- 
cas usually  had  a  large  hall  connected  with  a  portico,  and 
encircling  galleries  often  enclosed  the  whole. 

When  Christianity  became  a  State  religion  these  build- 
ings came  to  be  used  for  religious  purposes. 

The  basilica  always  had  a  central  aisle;  and  this  nave 
or  central  portion  was  usually  separated  from  the  side 
aisles  by  rows  of  columns.  At  the  further  end  of  the 
nave  was  the  sanctuary  or  apse,  in  front  of  which  stood 
the  altar.  In  front  of  the  whole  was  usually  an  atrium 
or  fore-court,  surrounded  by  a  covered  arcade.  The 
exterior  was  extremely  plain,  and  the  interior  resplendent 
with  marbles  and  mosaics.  A  wooden  roof  covered  the 
edifice.     Figure  29  is  the  ground  plan  of  a  basilica  which 


Early  Christian  Architecture 


73 


:.v.i 


will  show  us  the  general  arrangement,  although  this 
basilica  does  not  happen  to  be  an  old  Roman  example. 
Above  the  columns  that  surrounded  the  nave  there  usu- 
ally arose  another  story  called  the  clerestory  (clear  story), 
the  walls  of  which  were 
pierced  with  windows. 
This  is  a  feature  which 
persists  through  later 
styles,  and  it  is  interest- 
ing to  see  its  simple  and 
plain  beginning.  Some 
of  the  Egyptian  temples 
had  clerestories,  but 
the  European  examples 
date  back  only  to  early 
Christian  architecture. 
For  a  plain  example  of 
the  clerestory  rising 
above  the  first  roof, 
look  at  the  picture  of 
Pisa  on  page  oo. 

In  future  chapters,  in 
looking  at  the  growth 
of     the     Romanesque, 


Fig.  29.  Basilicas. 
Left-hand  plan  is  a  typical  one. 
Right-hand  plan  is  a  German  one 
showing  variations.  AD,  apse ; 
BB',  secondary  apses;  C,  high  al- 
tar ;  D,  bishop's  throne ;  G,  tran- 
sept ;  H,  nave ;  I,  I',  towers ;  J,  J', 
aisles ;  M,  western  apse ;  N,  aisle 
surrounding  chief  apse;  O,  O,  ap- 
sidioles. 


and  then  of  the  Gothic,  we  shall  compare  them  and  see 
how  they  developed  in  succession  from  the  Early  Chris- 
tian. 


MOSAIC. 

One  of  the  richest  of  all  interior  decorations  is  mosaic. 
It  begins  to  be  used  prominently  in  the  early  Christian 


74  Famous  Buildings 

churches  and  has  continued  to  be  popular  to  this  day. 
On  account  of  its  great  permanency,  people  valued  it  for 
monuments  which  they  wished  to  have  endure  forever. 
Mosaic  consists  of  a  pictured  decoration,  or  a  decora- 
tion usually  made  of  small  pieces  of  colored  glass  set  in 
cement  against  a  wall  or  other  surface  to  be  decorated. 
At  one  time,  the  manufacture  of  mosaics  for  commercial 
purposes  became  a  great  industry  in  Italy.  As  many 
as  twenty-five  thousand  different  shades  of  colored  glass 
were  kept  in  one  factory  so  that  it  was  possible  to  imitate 
any  possible  shade  or  tone  from  a  painting  that  was  to 
be  copied.  At  a  little  distance  the  mosaic  copies  of  paint- 
ings cannot  be  told  from  the  original  paintings.  Those 
large  mosaic  copies  of  paintings,  that  adorn  the  interior 
of  St.  Peter's  at  Rome,  would  deceive  the  most  expert, 
so  much  do  they  carry  the  illusion  of  an  oil  painting. 
Other  mosaics  do  not  attempt  to  imitate  anything,  but  to 
produce  beautiful  decorations  or  pictures  for  the  walls. 
Some  of  these,  like  the  ones  in  St.  Mark's  at  Venice,  have 
an  almost  inconceivable  richness  and  beauty.  Among 
the  noted  mosaics  of  the  world  are  those  at  Ravenna, 
Italy,  which  people  from  all  parts  of  the  world  go  to 
visit  and  to  study. 

PRINCIPAL    MONUMENTS    IN    THIS    STYLE. 

One  great  basilican  church,  one  of  the  most  wonderful 
churches  in  the  world,  is  "  St.  Paul's  Outside  the  Walls  " 
at  Rome.  It  is  not  the  original  church,  as  that  was 
burned;  but  the  new  one  is  almost  exactly  like  it,  and 
very  large  and  rich  and  beautiful;  one  of  the  great  sights 
of  Rome  to-day.     Another  famous  basilican  church,  and 


Early  Christian  Architecture 


75 


one  of  the  most  perfect,  is  S.  AppolHnare  Niiovo  at  Ra- 
venna. We  shall  wish  to  turn  back  and  remember  the 
features  of  these  simple  structures  to  see  how  the  elab- 
orate edifices  of  the  Romanesque  and  Gothic  still  pre- 
served their  essential  features. 


St.  Pauls,  outside  the  walls,  Rome. 


BYZANTINE  ARCHITECTURE 

Byzantine  architecture  followed  after  Rome  had  de- 
clined. At  this  time  in  the  world's  history,  the  seat  of 
power  shifted  to  Constantinople,  and  because  Constanti- 
nople is  Eastern,  or  Oriental,  we  may  expect  architec- 
ture to  follow  the  ideas  of  the  Orient.  Wherever  power 
and  wealth  are  located,  there  we  see  great  buildings  arise. 
The  Byzantine,  although  it  borrowed  from  the  East,  was 
largely  original  and  became  a  living  type  of  architecture. 
The  Byzantine  has  been  called  the  first  of  the  great 
Christian  styles.  When  Constantine's  basilican  church 
at  Constantinople  was  burned,  a  new  one  was  commenced 
there  by  Justinian  in  532  and  was  dedicated  in  537.  Th. 
was  Sancta  Sophia,  the  great  triumph  of  Byzantine  archi- 
tecture. From  this  time  to  the  time  when  St.  Mark's 
was  built  in  Venice,  that  is,  in  1 100,  a  number  of  impor- 
tant churches  and  palaces  were  erected  in  this  style,  and 
its  influence  is  felt  in  the  world  to  this  day.  Among  the 
important  examples  should  be  mentioned  S.  Vitale  at 
Ravenna  and  S.  Lorenzo  at  Milan. 

CHIEF    FEATURES. 

One  great  feature  of  all  Byzantine  architecture  is  the 
large  central  dome,  usually  surrounded  by  other  smaller 
domes.  Moreover,  the  Byzantine  dome  was  itself  of  a 
peculiar  kind.     It  consisted  really  of  two  parts  —  the 

71 


78 


Famous  Buildings 


top  part  being  a  semi-circular  dome  built  on  top  of  the 
lower  part  of  a  larger  semi-circular  dome  which  was  be- 
gun but  cut  off  at  a  certain  point.  The  relative  sizes 
of  the  two  parts  are  determined  mathematically.  The 
lighting  came  from  small  windows 
in  the  dome.  The  ground  plan 
represents  a  cross  and  is  roofed  by 
five  principal  domes.  Byzantine 
churches  were  usually  built  first 
without  ornament,  and  of  plain  ma- 
sonry. The  ornamentation  was  of 
the  applied  type,  and  might  be  added 
years  after  the  structure  was  com- 
pleted. Figure  31  is  an  example  of 
Byzantine  capital  from  the  Church 
of  San  Vitale,  at  Ravenna,  Italy. 
An  important  feature  was  the 
richness  of  the  interior  decoration,  often  of  mosaic 
and  full  of  oriental  color.  Instead  of  supporting  their 
domes  by  the  great  thickness  of  the  walls,  they  so  made 
their  walls,  that  one  pressure  might  neutralize  another, 
and  out  of  this  germ  grew  the  abutment,  the  germ  of  the 
Gothic  style. 


Fig.   31. 
Capital. 
Church 


Byzantine 
From  the 
of      San 


Vitale,  Ravenna. 


ST.    MARK  S,    VENICE. 

St.  Mark's  is  not  a  very  large  church,  and  owes  its 
greatness  to  its  variety  of  interest  and  to  the  multitude 
of  its  decorations,  both  without  and  within.  Its  color 
distinguishes  it  from  all  the  other  great  buildings  we  have 
studied.  Instead  of  gray  stone,  or  even  white  and  black, 
it  is  entirely  covered  with  the  richest  of  colored  marbles, 


Byzantine  Architecture  79 

and  adorned  with  many  columns,  rich  with  mosaic  work, 
porphyry,  and  gold. 

Comparing  St.  Mark's  with  any  other  church,  we  are 
apt  to  inquire  why  it  is  so  different.  Why  this  unheard- 
of  richness  of  color  like  a  dream  of  the  Orient?  The 
reason  for  the  oriental  tinge  to  the  architecture  of  St. 
Mark's  will  l^e  seen  in  the  fact  that  Venice  was  so  situ- 
ated as  to  have  trade  relations  with  the  Orient,  so  that 
her  merchants  brought  home  many  things  that  were  ori- 
ental. The  rich  silks  and  highly  colored  stuffs  thus 
brought  in  made  the  Venetians  like  such  things.  In 
their  art,  the  Venetians,  Titian,  Tintoretto,  and  the  rest, 
were  the  greatest  of  all  colorists.  Many  of  the  colored 
marbles,  so  commonly  used  in  Venice  as  a  veneer  over 
their  brick  walls,  were  brought  in  on  the  ships  from  for- 
eign ports. 

We  have  spoken  of  Sancta  Sophia  as  the  greatest  tri- 
umph of  Byzantine  architecture.  St.  Mark's  is  a  very 
close  rival.  St.  Mark's  was  begun  early  in  the  ninth 
century,  partly  burnt  in  976,  and  immediately  rebuilt  on 
its  original  plan. 

Thus  it  remained  until  1063,  when  it  was  so  altered 
as  to  completely  change  its  plan  and  appearance  —  that 
is,  it  was  then  rebuilt  as  a  Byzantine  edifice.  It  has 
three  facades,  the  chief  one  facing  St.  Mark's  Square, 
another  a  market-place,  and  the  third  the  waters  of  the 
lagoon  which  is  nearby.  The  facade,  facing  St.  Mark's 
Square,  has  five  large  arches,  over  the  central  one  of 
which  are  the  famous  bronze  horses.  These  are  believed 
to  be  of  Grecian  origin,  but  no  one  knows  for  certain. 
Napoleon  captured  them  in  1797  and  took  them  to  Paris 


8o  Famous  Buildings 

for  the  top  of  a  triumphal  arch;  but  after  the  peace  of 
1 815  they  were  returned  by  France.  A  mere  catalogue 
of  the  treasures  contained  in  St.  Mark's  would  make  a 
large  book,  and  anything  like  a  description  of  the  notable 
features  of  the  outside  would  make  another.  In  a  well- 
known  historical  guide  to  Venice  nearly  one-third  of  the 
whole  is  devoted  to  St.  Mark's.  More  can  be  gathered 
from  the  picture  than  from  any  description.  Ruskin 
says: 

"  There  rises  a  vision  out  of  the  earth,  and  all  the 
great  square  seems  to  have  opened  from  it  in  a  kind  of 
awe,  that  they  may  see  it  far  away :  —  a  multitude  of 
pillars  and  white  domes,  clustered  into  a  long,  low  pyra- 
mid of  colored  light;  a  treasure-heap,  it  seems,  partly  of 
gold,  and  partly  of  opal  and  mother-of-pearl,  hollowed 
beneath  into  five  great  vaulted  porches,  ceiled  with  fair 
mosaic,  and  beset  with  sculpture  and  alabaster,  clear  as 
amber  and  delicate  as  ivory." 

Upon  entering  the  church,  all  is  lost  in  twilight,  to 
which  the  eye  must  become  accustomed  before  the  form 
of  the  building  can  be  traced.  Exteriorly,  Byzantine 
churches  were  generally  plain,  but  San  Marco  is  an  ex- 
ception. Hundreds  of  monoliths,  or  colonnettes,  of 
rarest  marbles  and  porphyry,  cluster  around  its  doors. 
For  years  it  was  the  ambition  of  every  wealthy  Venetian 
to  beautify  his  city;  to  make  it  the  most  splendid  in  the 
world.  Whole  areas  of  the  exterior  of  San  Marco  are 
covered  with  veneering  of  the  most  precious  and  richly 
colored  marbles  imaginable.  The  great  bronze  horses, 
brought  by  Napoleon,  prance  over  the  porch,  the  domes 
gleam  in  the  sun,  the  mosaics  glitter  from  the  lunettes 


Byzantine  Architecture  8l 

above,  the  great  flags  flutter  from  the  three  poles  in  the 
square,  the  color  is  dazzling  in  the  sun,  the  ensemble  is 
the  most  fascinating  facade  in  the  whole  world. 

Consider,  too,  the  surroundings;  the  bay  and  its  la- 
goons and  rich  red  and  yellow  sails,  and  the  songs  of 
gondoliers.  A  step  away  are  the  Doges'  palace  and  the 
courtyard  attached,  the  famous  clock-tower  on  the  other 
side,  the  great  campanile,  and  the  royal  palace,  facing  on 
the  square  of  San  Marco, —  a  great  paved  open-air  draw- 
ing-room where  the  band-concerts  and  lottery-drawings 
are  held,  and  where  the  pleasure-loving  Venetians  flock 
daily  to  sit  in  the  thousands  of  chairs,  or  pace  up  and 
down  in  the  sunlight  in  front.  What  a  setting  it  is,  for 
the  most  richly  decorated  church  in  all  the  world!  It  is 
a  scene  of  splendor  far  removed  from  anything  else  we 
may  see  in  all  Western  Europe.  It  is  an  architecture  of 
color  rather  than  form,  we  may  say.  Much  of  the  beauty 
of  a  building  is  due  to  its  location. 

Emerson  says : 

"  The  pleasure  that  a  noble  temple  gives  us  is  only  in 
part  owing  to  the  temple.  It  is  exalted  by  the  beauty  of 
sunlight,  the  play  of  the  clouds,  the  landscape  around  it, 
its  grouping  with  the  houses,  trees,  and  towers  in  its 
vicinity. 

In  the  "  Lady  of  the  Lake,"  Scott  shows  his  sense  of 
what  an  appropriate  landscape  is  to  a  building: 

On  this  bold  brow  a  lordly  tower, 
In  that  soft  vale  a  lady's  bower. 
On  yonder  meadow  far  away 
The  turrets  of  a  cloister  gray. 


82  Famous  Buildings 

There  are  also  different  kinds  of  beauty  in  the  differ- 
ent points  of  view.  When  we  draw  near  to  a  noble  build- 
ing the  lines  that  made  it  pleasing  from  a  distance  fall 
apart,  and  we  see  the  smaller  details.  It  may  be  that  the 
frowning  battlements  that  "  strike  awe  and  terror  on  the 
aching  sight  "  at  a  near  view,  will,  from  a  distance,  blend 
with  a  calm  landscape,  and  create  a  peaceful  sylvan  scene, 
—  like  Windsor. 

The  tapering  spires  and  the  broad-eaved  cottages,  that 
are  so  beautiful  in  the  lakes  and  mountains  of  Switzer- 
land, would  look  poor  and  absurd  in  Venice. 

The  buildings  of  Venice  are  mostly  intended  to  be  seen 
from  the  front  only,  where 

The  sea  is  in  the  broad,  the  narrow  streets, 
Ebbing  and  flowing,  and  the  salt  seaweed 
Clings  to  the  marble  of  her  palaces. 

The  interior  ornamentation,  with  which  San  Marco  is 
almost  completely  covered,  is  mosaic  (representing 
chiefly  Biblical  scenes),  and  costly  marbles.  The  back- 
grounds of  the  mosaics  were  usually  in  gold.  Slabs  of 
rarest  marble  with  rich  carving  cover  the  rest  of  the 
walls. 

Ruskin  says :  "  There  opens  before  us  a  vast  cave 
hewn  out  into  the  form  of  a  cross  and  divided  by  many 
pillars  into  shadowy  aisles.  Around  the  domes  of  its 
roof  the  light  enters  only  through  narrow  apertures,  like 
large  stars,  and  here  and  there  a  ray  or  two  from  some 
far-away  casement  wanders  into  the  darkness  and  casts 
a  narrow  phosphoric  stream  upon  the  waves  of  marble 
that  heave  and  fall  in  a  thousand  colors  upon  the  floor. 


Byzantine  Architecture  83 

What  else  there  is  of  light  is  from  torches  or  silver  lamps 
burning  ceaselessly  in  the  recesses  of  the  chapels;  the 
roof  sheathed  with  gold  and  the  polished  walls  covered 
with  rich  alabaster,  give  back  at  every  curve  and  angle 
some  feeble  gleaming  to  the  flames ;  and  the  glories 
around  the  heads  of  the  sculptured  saints  flash  out  upon 
us  as  we  pass  them,  and  sink  again  into  the  gloom." 

St.  Mark's  has  been  called  a  jeweled  casket.  Its  core 
is  of  brick.  The  beautiful  marbles  are  veneer.  In  all, 
there  are  over  40,000  square  feet  of  mosaic.  The  pave- 
ment, wavy  and  uneven  from  settling,  is  wrought  in 
quaint  and  beautiful  Byzantine  designs. 

The  architect  of  St.  Mark's  is  unknown  and  much 
controversy  has  been  maintained  on  the  question  whether 
he  was  a  native  Venetian  or  an  imported  Greek. 

An  inscription  in  Latin,  placed  where  it  would  be  seen 
by  the  Doge  entering  from  his  palace,  translated,  reads 
in  part: 

"  Love  justice,  give  all  men  their  rights,  let  the  poor 
and  the  widow,  the  ward  and  the  orphan,  O  Doge,  hope 
for  a  guardian  in  thee.  Be  compassionate  to  all ;  let  not 
fear  nor  hate  nor  love  of  gold  betray  thee." 


Fig.  32.    The  Court  of  Lions. 

The  Alhambra. 
For  description  see  pages  SQ-91. 


SARACENIC  ARCHITECTURE 

This  style  is  sometimes  called  Moslem  or  Moham- 
medan, because  it  was  produced  by  the  followers  of  Mo- 
hammed. It  is  also  called  Moorish.  The  Moors  were 
a  well- formed  race,  with  fine  oriental  features  and  ex- 
pression of  countenance.  Formerly  the  inhabitants  of 
Northern  Africa,  they  had  conquered  and  overrun  Spain 
and  were  not  finally  expelled  until  after  1492.  In  the 
meantime,  they  had  built  up  a  civilization  of  luxury. 
Granada  was  their  city;  the  Alhambra  was  their  strong- 
hold. The  Mohammedan  Kings  of  Granada  for  many 
years  fought  the  Christian  Kings  of  Castile  and,  when 
finally  driven  out,  they  founded  the  states  of  Algiers  and 
Tunis,  in  Africa,  now  so  familiar  to  tourists. 

The  architecture  of  the  Alhambra  is  the  architecture 
evolved  by  the  Mohammedan  races.  Mohammed  was 
born  in  569  and  died  in  652.  His  followers  made  such 
conquests  as  the  world  had  seldom  known.  Persia, 
Egypt,  Palestine,  Syria,  Arabia,  and  Northern  Africa 
fell  under  their  influence,  and,  with  it  all  came  this  new 
architecture,  quite  distinctive  in  its  features,  so  that  we 
may  know  it  wherever  we  see  it.  It  was  chiefly  an  archi- 
tecture of  temples  and  mosques,  for  the  Arabs  and  Moors 
were  nomadic;  roaming  the  desert  and  living  in  tents. 
But,  in  some  places  they  built  cities,  and  tombs,  such  a? 
the  tombs  of  the  Caliphs,  and  their  palaces 

85 


86 


Famous  Buildings 


CHIEF    FEATURES. 

The  Saracenic  was  very  different  from  any  style  that 
had  gone  before.     Its  chief  characteristics  are  in  the  use 

of  the  pointed  or  horse- 
shoe arch,  in  the  forms 
of  its  domes  and  mina- 
rets, and,  more  than  all, 
in  its  decoration  with 
the  geometrical  designs, 
and  the  coloring  in  red, 
blue,  green,  and  gold, 
brilliant  but  raw.  It 
does  not  show  great  dif- 
ferences in  structure. 
Sculpture  and  pictures 
were  omitted.  They 
forbade  the  use  "of  ani- 
mals for  decoration  and 
substituted  the  arabesque 
or  interlaced  pattern. 
Tiles  were  used  lavishly,  and  stained  glass  is  also  a 
feature  of  their  decoration.  It  has  been  called  a  tri- 
umph of  the  decorator's  art. 
Figure  33  shows  the  tombs 
of  the  Caliphs  at  Cairo, 
Egypt,  and  is  a  good  illus- 
tration of  Arabic  architec- 
ture. Notice  the  minaret 
towers  at  the  right,  and  the  raised  arabesque  work  on  the 
outside  of  the  domes.     Imagine  the  interiors  covered 


Fig'  33-    Tombs  of  the  Caliphs, 
Cairo,  Egypt. 


Fig.  34.     Lancet  Arch, 
shoe  Arch. 


Horse- 


Saracenic  Architecture 


87 


with  arabesques  in  bril-  s^:;'^*'''* 
liant  colors.  Figure  34 
is  an  outline  drawing 
of  both  a  horseshoe  and 
a  lancet  arch,  while 
Figure  35  gives  us  an 
idea  of  the  arabesque 
pattern.  It  is  taken 
from  the  Hall  o£ 
Crowns,  in  the  Alham- 
bra.  Remember  that 
the  arabesques  were 
richly  colored. 

Still    another    illustration 


;!;>-^>*>>»W.'«i'"?<v,^>-— >!<<-,  \a.    «*.u<.r 


^^  .-v-^ 


:#^'i*^ 


Fig.  35.  Moorish  Arabesque.  From 
the  Hall  of  Crowns,  Alhambra, 
Spain. 


Fig.  36.     Doorway  of  Mosque, 
,  Tangier,  Morocco. 


(Fig.  36)  contains  more 
arabesque  and  a  pointed 
horseshoe  arch.  It  is  the 
doorway  of  the  mosque 
at  Tangier,  Morocco. 

Two  of  the  elements  of 
beauty  in  buildings,  given 
in  our  table,  are  color  and 
texture.  In  the  buildings 
of  the  Saracenic  style,  the 
color  is  so  different  from 
the  colors  used  in  other 
styles  (except  occasion- 
ally in  the  Byzantine), 
that  we  should  not  need  to 
see  the  whole  form  and 
outline  in  order  to  know 
that  we  were  looking:  at  a 


88  Famous  Buildings 

building  of  this  style.  In  the  buildings  of  our  day,  we  sel- 
dom see  much  color,  so  that  the  profusion  of  color  in 
oriental  countries  is  one  of  the  charms  and  wonders  of 
travel.  The  sunlight  itself  seems  to  brighten  and  in- 
tensify color,  and  if  we  have  not  seen  them,  we  can 
scarcely  imagine  the  degrees  of  whiteness  and  pinkness 
and  greenness  of  the  buildings  of  the  Moorish  or  Sara- 
cenic architecture. 

There  is  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  in  the  soft  grays  or 
rich  browns  of  the  monuments  of  the  art  of  our  north- 
ern countries.  A  gray  picture  appeals  to  many  people 
more  than  a  highly  colored  one.  In  the  monuments  of 
the  North  with  their  many  projections  there  is  much 
pleasure  to  be  derived  from  the  mere  play  of  light  and 
shade  along  the  buildings.  The  architect  thinks  of  this 
in  planning  the  arrangement  of  windows  and  cornices 
and  the  depth  of  doorways.  The  photographer  waits 
for  a  time  of  the  day  when  the  sun  will  throw  fascinating 
shadows  upon  the  sides  of  buildings.  But  these  varia- 
tions cannot  rival  the  color  effects  of  Northern  Africa 
where  so  many  Saracenic  buildings  are  to  be  found.  I 
do  not  mean  that  there  are  no  colors  in  northern  build- 
ings, for  we  often  find  colored  stones  and  marbles  and 
colored  bricks  and  red  and  yellow  terra-cotta  trimmings. 
But  compared  to  the  startling  colors  of  oriental  buildings 
they  are  like  a  sober  New  England  gown  to  a  fancy- 
dress  costume. 

Another  thing  we  should  think  of  in  viewing  a  build- 
ing is  the  texture  of  the  material.  Texture  ordinarily 
has  to  do  with  the  art  or  process  of  weaving.  We  speak 
of  the  texture  of  a  piece  of  cloth  as  being  fine  and  smooth 


Saracenic  Architecture  89 

like  silk  or  fine  linen,  or  rough  like  burlap.  In  the  fine 
arts,  texture  is  also  the  surface  quality  of  objects.  The 
rough  texture  of  quarried  stone  is  very  different  from 
the  smooth  texture  of  polished  marble.  Between  the 
two  there  is  a  great  variety  of  difference  which  we  feel 
in  our  minds  very  much  as  we  would  with  our  fingers. 

THE   ALHAMBRA. 

Of  all  their  buildings,  the  Alhambra  is  universally  con- 
sidered to  be  the  masterpiece  of  Spanish-Moslem  art. 
It  is  fortified,  as  such  citadel-palaces  had  to  be  protected 
from  enemies  great  and  small.  But  the  fortifications 
are  not  strong  enough  to  repel  a  really  warlike  invasion. 

The  Alhambra  was  begun  in  1248,  enlarged  in  1279, 
and  again  in  1306.  Its  chief  glory  is  its  ornamentation. 
Minute  and  beautiful  patterns  containing  vines  and  arabic 
characters  are  interwoven  into  a  framework  of  red,  blue, 
black,  and  gold  of  indescribable  richness. 

The  Alhambra  was  the  stronghold  of  the  Moorish 
Kings.  The  surrounding  wall  is  more  than  a  mile  in 
extent,  and  in  its  prime  the  fortress  would  have  held 
fully  forty  thousand  soldiers.  The  situation  is  one  of 
great  beauty;  the  snows  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  mountains 
forming  part  of  the  enchanting  panorama.  It  was  the 
last  stronghold  of  the  Moors  in  Spain,  and  in  it,  for  two 
hundred  and  fifty  years,  they  held  out  against  their  sur- 
rounding enemies. 

The  famous  beauties  of  the  palace  are:  The  Gate  of 
Justice,  The  Court  of  Alberca;  The  Court  of  Lions, 
with  its  fountain,  its  alabaster  basin  shedding  diamond 


90 


Famous  Bmldings 


drops;  The  Hall  of  Ambassadors;  The  Tower  of  Cana- 
ries; The  Court  of  Myrtles;  The  Hall  of  Justice;  and 
the  many  gardens,  fountains,  panoramas,  chambers,  tow- 
ers and  balconies. 

The  royal  palace,  Irving  tells  us,   forms  but  part  of 

a  fortress,  the 
J'^  walls  of  which, 
■J ,  studded  with 
%|„v'  towers,  stretch  ir- 
-  regularly  around 
the  whole  crest 
of  a  hill ;  and  ex- 
ternally it  is  a 
rude  congrega- 
tion of  towers 
and  battlements, 
with  no  regular- 
ity of  plan  nor 
grace  of  architec- 
ture, and  giving 
little  promise  of 
the  grace  and 
beauty  which 
reign  within. 
The  illustra- 
tion (Fig.  ^2)  gives  but  a  faint  idea  of  one  of  the  many 
famous  interiors  of  the  Alhambra.  These  courts  are 
of  moderate  size.  Much  of  the  decoration  is  in  tiles, 
much  of  it  in  only  stamped  plaster,  but  the  geometric 
patterns  are  rich  in  brilliant  color  and  the  whole  effect  is 
one  of  splendor  and  luxury. 


Fig.  37.    The  Gate  of  Justice. 


Saracenic  Architecture  91 

STORY   AND   ANECDOTE. 

The  x\lhambra  might  be  called  the  building  of  story 
and  legend.  And  this,  largely  because  of  a  few  weeks' 
sojourn  there  by  Washington  Irving.  His  book,  describ- 
ing the  palace,  its  legends  and  surroundings,  has  thrown 
a  glamour  over  the  structure  which  it  would  never  other- 
wise have  had  for  English-speaking  peoples. 

The  peculiar  charm  of  the  place,  he  tells  us,  is  its  power 
of  calling  up  vague  reveries  and  picturings  of  the  past, 
and  thus  clothing  naked  realities  with  the  illustrations  of 
the  memory  and  the  imagination.  So  minutely  did  he 
describe  the  more  beautiful  rooms  and  features  that  his 
book  is  now  a  useful  guide-book.  The  traditions  of  the 
palace  and  the  town,  that  he  collected  and  gave  to  the 
world  in  inimitable  form,  still  throng  the  place  and  fill 
the  memory  or  thrill  the  new  reader  with  the  vision  of 
the  past. 

He  calls  the  Alhambra  "  an  oriental  palace  amidst  the 
Gothic  edifices  of  the  West;  an  elegant  memento  of  a 
brave,  intelligent,  and  graceful  people  who  conquered, 
ruled,  flourished,  and  passed  away." 

OTHER    BUILDINGS. 

There  are  many  buildings  of  this  style,  chiefly  mosques 
and  palaces,  especially  at  Cairo,  and  in  Spain,  Persia, 
and  other  countries  that  came  under  the  Moslem  influ- 
ence. One  of  the  famous  buildings  of  the  world  is  of 
this  style  and  is  situated  in  India.  Most  Indian  archi- 
tecture, like  that  of  Japan,  China,  and  other  oriental 
countries,  is  so  different  from  that  which  we  have  been 
examining  that  it  is  treated  in  a  separate  chapter  at  the 


92 


Famous  Buildings 


end  of  the  book.  But,  there  are  also  buildings  in  these 
countries  of  the  Saracenic  style,  built  from  the  eleventh 
to  the  fourteenth  centuries,  many  of  them  very  magnifi- 
cent mosques.  The  most  famous  of  all  the  monuments 
is  the  Taj  Mahal,  at  Agra,  shown  in  the  illustration.  It 
is  the  pearl  of  Indian  architecture.  The  Taj  Mahal  is 
of  v^hite  marble,  185  feet  square,  rising  from  a  platform 
18  feet  high  and  313  feet  square,  with  minarets  at  the 
platform  corners.  The  bulbous  dome  is  58  feet  in  di- 
ameter. Notice  the  pointed  arches,  and  the  small  pavil- 
ions on  the  roof,  which  were  common  in  this  style.  The 
Taj  Mahal  was  built  by  Shan  Jehan,  and  was  used  for  a 
festal  hall  during  his  lifetime,  and  for  a  tomb  after  his  ' 
death. 

Many  royal  tombs  and  palaces  testify  to  the  artistic 
originality,  and  to  the  excellent  use  of  both  arched  and 
columnar  construction  at  this  time.  The  rich  decora- 
tions and  inlaying  with  precious  stones,  if  in  good  taste, 
are  worthy  of  the  majesty  of  the  design. 


Fig.  38.    The  Taj  Mahal,  Agra,  India. 


ROMANESQUE  ARCHITECTURE 

We  saw  in  the  chapter  on  Early  Christian  Architecture 
that  it  was  the  basis  on  which  another  great  style  was 
built  up. 

The  name  of  this  next  great  style  is  Romanesque. 
With  the  development  of  the  Romanesque,  buildings  be- 
came much  more  numerous,  and  we  find  in  Italy  different 
styles  of  Romanesque,  such  as  the  Tuscan,  and  the  Lom- 
bard, and  elsewhere  still  others,  for  example,  the  Norman 
in  England,  and  the  German  Romanesque  in  Germany. 
Pisa  cathedral  is  the  best  and  most  typical  of  all  of  the 
Italian  Romanesque  buildings. 

We  ought,  of  course,  to  think  a  little  of  the  times 
when  it  was  built.  Pisa  was  famous  when  Rome  was  a 
hamlet.  Cities,  in  the  Italy  of  those  days,  were  the 
strongholds  of  great  political  parties,  and  one  city  fought 
against  another  the  bloodiest  and  bitterest  battles  that 
can  be  imagined.  The  fights  were  often  long  and  terri- 
ble, and  the  steps  of  their  beautiful  town-halls,  and  even 
their  churches,  and  streets,  sometimes  ran  red  with  blood. 
Now  one  city  would  be  victorious,  and  now  another. 
The  whole  beautiful  land  which  to-day  we  know  as  Italy 
was  simply  a  group  of  separate  bits  and  each  bit  was 
torn  by  factions  within  itself.  As  this  was  the  case  for 
several  centuries,  say  from  the  eleventh  to  the  fourteenth, 
we  may  as  well  remember  the  names  of  the  two  great 

93 


Romanesque  Architecture 


95 


parties    in    these    strifes,    namely,    the  Guelfs   and   the 
Ghibellines. 

To  travel  in  Italy,  and  not  to  read  and  hear  of  Guelf 
and  Ghibelline,  would  be  almost  impossible,  and  it  was 
while  these  great  factions  lived  and  fought  in  Italy  so 
ferociously  that  the  Romanesque  architecture  flourished. 
For,  in  spite  of  bloodshed  and  loss,  commerce  made  great 
p^ogress.  Cities  became  richer  than  ever  before,  and 
desired  to  make  themselves  more  splendid  than  their 
rival  neighbors.  The  very  feudal  system,  which  fos- 
tered war,  carried  with  it  the  monastic  system,  which 
gave  refuge  to  the  men  who  loved  peace,  and  the  arts  of 
l^eace,  and  partly  through  this  system  and  these  men,  the 
noble  art  of  building  grew  and  flourished. 


CHIEF  FEATURES  OF  ROMANESQUE  ARCHITECTURE. 

Romanesque  is  used  to  indicate  the  style  of  Christian 
architecture  founded  on  Roman  architecture,  which  pre- 
vailed throughout  Western 
Euroi>e  from  the  early 
Christian  to  the  rise  of  the 
Gothic,  except  where  the 
Byzantine  is  found.  It 
grew  out  of  the  Basilican 
architecture,  already  de- 
scribed, and  the  two  have 
many  features  in  common ; 
chiefly  in  that  the  openings 
were   always   arched   with 

round       arches.         Round     Fig."'4o.    Example   of   vaulting 
,  ,.  -  from        Amiens        Cathedral, 

arches  are  a  salient  feature        France. 


96 


Famous  Buildings 


of  Romanesque  architecture,  and  the  windows  were 
usually  small,  owing  to  the  necessity  for  keeping  the 
walls  strong  to  support  the  outward  pressure  of  the 
roof. 

The  roof  was  sometimes  of  timber  and  sometimes 
vaulted  stone.  Vaulting  means  any  solidly  built  arched 
roof  over  a  building.  Figure  40  shows  the  appearance  of 
such  vaulting.  Transepts,  or  the  arms  of  the  cross  figure, 
were  a  feature  of  most  Romanesque 
churches,  and  we  see  sculpture  taking 
an  important  part  in  the  ornamenta- 
tion. We  may  get  a  comparative 
view  of  three  styles  by  noticing  how 
the  Byzantine  differed  in  certain  points 
from  both.  The  arrangement  of  the 
light  is  similar  in  the  Basilican  and  in 
Romanesque  churches,  but  the  Byzan- 
tine churches  depended  for  light 
chiefly  upon  the  ring  of  windows 
which  encircles  the  base  of  the  central 
dome,  and  sometimes  of  all  the  domes. 
The  columns  in  Basilicas  were  an- 
tique, often  taken  from  other  build- 
ings. In  Romanesque  buildings,  a  great 
variety  of  columns  appeared;  shafts  be- 
ing freely  introduced  to  decorate  doors 
or  arcades  to  such  an  extent  as  to  be  a 
great  feature  of  this  style.  The  capitals 
differ  widely  from  the  classic.  In  the  Byzantine,  small  col- 
umns appear  as  a  decorative  feature  also.  Figure  41 
is  a  Romanesque  column  from  a  French  church.     Note 


Fig.  41.  Roman- 
esque column. 
France. 


Romanesque  Architecture 


97 


the  various  carved  figures  of  the  capital,  and  the  braided 
pattern  of  the  shaft. 

The  ornaments  alone  would  be  a  life-time  study.  In 
general,  the  Basilican  moldings  were  few  and  crude,  mo- 
saic being  their  chief  decoration.  In 
both  Byzantine  and  in  Romanesque, 
especially  in  its  later  development, 
moldings  became  more  elaborate,  and 
ornamental  carving  came  to  be  of  more 
importance,  though  not  so  indispens- 
able as  in  the  Gothic  that  was  to  follow. 
The  star  molding  shown  in  Figure  42 
is  an  example  of  this.  Mosaic  is 
of  less  importance  in  Romanesque 
churches  and  color  decoration  partakes 
more  of  the  character  of  fresco.  The 
pictorial  character  of  the  decoration 
was  wonderfully  effective  for,  though 
rich  and  gorgeous,  it  was  always  solemn  and  ecclesiastical. 

We  must  also  speak  of  the  towers  which,  in  Italy, 
were  built  separately,  and  made  such  a  picturesque  fea- 
ture of  these  churches.  The  Bell  Towers  of  Italy  are  a 
part  of  her  landscape,  and  are  so  well  suited  to  it  that 
they  seem  to  have  grown  up  with  the  trees.  The  bell- 
tower  of  Giotto  is  shown  on  page  151. 

The  baptistery,  which  was  usually  circular,  and  de- 
tached, was  also  a  characteristic  feature.  In  fact  the 
baptistery  was  sometimes  built  first  and  used  for  a  church, 
as  at  Florence. 

The  wheel,  or  rose  window,  appeared  and  became  a 
feature  of  the  Romanesque,     See  picture  on  page  140. 


Fig.  42.  Star  mold- 
ing, Romanesque, 
France. 


98 


Famous  Buildings 


Fig.  43.  The  illustration 
shows  the  famous  bell 
tower  of  St.  Mark's,  Ven- 
ice, which  collapsed  and 
was  rebuilt.  At  the  right 
of  the  base  of  the  tower  is 
the  Gothic  fagade  of  the 
Doges'  Palace  (see  page 
183)  and  also  the  library 
fagade. 


;liLl..Li. 


m 


Romanesque  Architecture  99 

Remember  particularly  that  the  vaulted  roofs  were 
supported  solely  by  the  walls  which  had  to  be  of  great 
thickness  and  solidity,  and  that  the  windows  and  open- 
ings were  made  rather  small  so  as  not  to  weaken  the  walls. 
We  shall  see  how  a  desire  to  do  away  with  this  heavi- 
ness caused  so  many  changes  as  to  produce  in  time  an 
entirely  new  and  distinct  style  —  the  Gothic. 

Comparing  the  interiors,  the  basilica  was  plain  with- 
out, gorgeous  within,  venerable  but  not  forbidding,  while 
the  Byzantine  was  still  more  gorgeous  within,  rich  and 
Oriental  in  color,  even  splendid,  yet  more  solemn  and  im- 
pressive, suggesting  ceremonial  and  pageantry.  The  ex- 
terior with  its  domes  gave  a  pleasing  sky-line;  far  more 
pleasing  than  the  barn-like  basilica.  The  Romanesque 
interior,  though  much  like  the  basilica,  was  richer  and 
more  varied,  and  yet  it  was  heavy  compared  to  Gothic. 
The  Romanesque  is  often  called  a  picturesque  style, 
largely  on  account  of  its  towers.  This  feature  was  used 
by  the  American  architect  Richardson  in  many  of  the 
libraries  and  city  halls  of  America. 

In  Romanesque  buildings,  the  trussed  roof  is  sup- 
planted by  great  stone  vaulted  roofs. 

THE    CLOISTER. 

One  outgrowth  of  the  monastic  system,  and  the  men 
who  loved  the  arts  of  peace,  was  the  cloister.  The 
cloister  was  an  arcade  or  sheltered  and  covered  pass- 
ageway or  walk,  which  ran  around  one  or  more  sides 
of  an  interior  area  or  garden.  Most  of  them  were 
attached  to  churches  or  monasteries,  and  many  of 
them  were  built  in  the  Romanesque  era  all  over  Europe, 


100  Famous  Buildings 

and  in  England.  The  architecture  might  be  Gothic,  or 
Romanesque,  or  something  else.  Figure  44  gives  a 
good  idea  of  how  a  cloister  looked.  Here,  under  the 
arcades,  sheltered  from  the  heat  of  the  sun,  the  monks 

might  sit  and  work, 
or  walk  in  contem- 
plation and  prayer. 
The  atmosphere  of 
the  cloister  was 
])eace,  beauty  and 
seclusion.  Here 
war  might  not 
enter.  There  are 
few  more  beautiful 

I'iu.  44.     Chjistcr  of  a  church  in  Spain.         .  .  .       .  ,  , 

thmgs  m  the  world 

than  these  arcaded  gardens.     Among  the  most  famous 

was  the  one  at  Aries  in  France,  and  another  was  the  one 

attached  to  the  church  of  St.  John  Lateran  in  Rome. 

The  cut  shows  general  appearance.     The  ruined  abbeys  of 

England  and  Scotland  are  justly  noted  for  their  cloisters. 

Often  the  side  wall  back  of  the  arcade  was  painted  or 

frescoed,  and  the  columns  richlv  carved. 


PISA 

The  cathedral  at  Pisa,  with  its  baptistery,  Campo- 
Santo,  and  Leaning  Tower,  makes  one  of  the  most  won- 
derful and  beautiful  groups  of  buildings  in  the  world. 
They  stand  apart  from  the  city,  and  are  almost  the  only 
cathedral  group  in  Italy  that  is  surrounded  by  grass  and 
space.     All  the  others  have  myriads  of  houses  huddled 


Romanesque  Architecture  lOi 

up  against  them,  but  here  it  is  a  thing  apart,  "  The  other 
Pisa,"  Taine  calls  it,  and  he  goes  on  to  say :  "  The 
true  Pisa  is  here,  and  in  these  relics  of  an  extinguished 
life,  you  find  a  world.  Everything  is  of  marble,  rich, 
mottled,  orange  marble.  On  all  sides  are  large  solid 
forms,  the  cupola,  the  full  wall,  the  balanced  stories, 
the  firmly-planted  round  or  square  mass;  but  over  these 
forms,  revived  from  the  antique,  like  delicate  foliage 
that  clothes  an  old  tree-trunk,  there  is  spread  individual 
invention  and  the  new  decoration  of  small  columns  sur- 
mounted by  arcades,  and  the  originality  and  grace  of  this 
architecture  thus  renewed  cannot  be  described." 

Having  no  great  architect  at  home,  the  Pisans  called 
in  Buschetto  (Busketus),  who  was  probably  an  Italian, 
though  some  say  he  was  a  Greek.  He  made  the  body 
of  the  church  and  began  the  front.  He  was  followed 
by  Rainaldo  (Rainaldus),  who  did  nearly  all  the  rest. 
These  two  are  buried  in  the  front  wall  of  the  building 
that  is  also  their  monument.  They  were  followed  by 
Ildebrando,  of  whom  still  less  is  known.  These  men 
were  familiar  with  the  building  of  their  day;  and  further- 
more, they  had  studied  the  mighty  work  left  them  by 
the  Romans;  and  were  surrounded  by  building  material 
of  that  distant  time,  on  which  they  drew  as  from  a 
quarry. 

The  new  church  was  based  on  the  form  of  a  Roman 
basilica,  but  the  addition  of  transepts,  like  arms,  made 
it  a  Latin  cross.  Its  central  space,  the  nave  or  wide 
aisle,  was  separated  from  the  narrower  aisle  on  either 
side  by  two  rows  of  twelve  huge  red  granite  columns 
that  once  stood  in  Greek  or  Roman  temples :  these  were 


102 


Famous  Buildings 


taken  by  the  Pisans  in  war  and  brought  home  in  their 
ships.  Resting  on  the  great  cohimns  are  upper  walls 
made  in  stripes  of  marble,  dark  and  light,  and  pierced 
with  windows.  These  walls  form  the  clerestory,  and 
they  carry  the  beams  combined  into  trusses  that  cross 
the  nave  and  support  the  main  lead-coated  roof.  The 
roofs  of  the  aisles  are  supported  against  the  clerestory 
walls.  The  nave  forms  the  longest  part  of  a  cross,  of 
which  the  choir,  containing  the  high  altar,  is  the  head, 
and  the  north  and  south  transepts  stretching  to  right  and 
left   form  the  equal  arms.     It  is  customary  to  set,  or 

place,  a  cathedral  so  that 
one  who  is  facing  the  altar 
is  also  facing  the  east. 
Over  the  crossing  of  the 
nave  and  transepts  is  a  dome 
built  much  later  than  most 
of  the  church. 

The  eastern  end  of  the 
choir  is  rounded,  and  this 
l)art  is  called  the  apsis,  or 
apse.  The  termination  of 
the  choir  in  a  Romanesque 
church  is  usually  semicircu- 
lar in  plan  and  vaulted. 
The  illustration  is  of  the 
interior  of  the  Cathedral  of 
Pisa.  Notice  the  columns  surmounted  by  round  arches 
supporting  the  clerestory.  The  apse  with  its  semi-dome 
is  shown  at  the  rear  behind  the  altar.  The  pulpit  is  seen 
at  the  right.     I  am  going  to  ask  you  to  look  at  the  ar- 


Fig.     45.     Cathedral    of     Pisa, 
Italy;  showing  apse  at  rear. 


Romanesque  Architecture  103 

cades  on  the  front  of  Pisa  through  Ruskin's  eyes  and  to 
note  the  variations  as  he  noted  them.  This  is  what  he 
says : 

Not  one  of  the  four  arcades  is  of  like  height  with  another. 
The  highest  is  the  third  counting  upwards;  and  they  diminish 
in  nearly  arithmetical  proportion  alternately:  in  the  order  3rd, 
1st,  2nd,  4th.  The  inequalities  in  the  arches  are  not  less  re- 
markable; they  at  first  strike  the  eye  as  all  equal;  but  there  is 
a  grace  about  them  which  equality  never  obtained:  on  close 
observation  it  is  perceived  that  in  the  first  row  of  nineteen 
arches,  eighteen  are  equal,  and  the  central  one  larger  than  the 
rest :  in  the  second  arcade,  the  nine  central  arches  stand  over 
the  nine  below,  having,  like  them,  the  ninth  central  one  largest. 
But  on  their  flanks,  where  is  the  slope  of  the  shoulder-like 
pediment,  the  arches  vanish,  and  a  wedge-shaped  frieze  takes 
their  place,  tapering  upwards,  in  order  to  allow  the  columns  to 
be  carried  to  the  extremity  of  the  pediment;  and  here,  where 
the  heights  of  the  shafts  are  so  fast  shortened,  they  are  set 
thicker;  five  shafts  or  rather  four  and  a  capital,  above,  to  four 
of  the  arcade  below,  giving  twenty-one  intervals  instead  of 
nineteen.  In  the  next  or  third  arcade  —  which,  remember,  is 
the  highest  —  eight  arches,  all  equal,  are  given  in  the  space  of 
the  nine  below,  so  that  now  there  is  a  central  shaft  instead 
of  a  central  arch,  and  the  span  of  the  arches  is  increased  in 
proportion  to  their  increased  height.  Finally,  in  the  upper- 
most arcade,  which  is  the  lowest  of  all,  the  arches,  the  same  in 
number  as  those  below,  are  narrower  than  any  of  the  faqade; 
the  whole  eight  going  very  nearly  above  the  six  below  them, 
while  the  terminal  arches  of  the  lower  arcade  are  surmounted 
by  flanking  masses  of  decorated  wall  with  projecting  figures. 
Now  I  call  that  Living  Architecture.  There  is  a  sensation  in 
every  inch  of  it. 

The  Diiomo,  or  cathedral  proper,  and  the  baptistery 
close  to  it  are  surrounded  each  by  a  wide  white  plat- 


104  Famous  Buildings 

form  with  a  step ;  and  a  broad,  green  lawn  all  about  them 
sets  off  the  marble,  porphyry,  and  alabaster.  The  mellow 
color  of  the  three  softly  bright  buildings  taken  together 
when  shining  between  the  blue  sky  and  the  green  grass 
makes  them  seem  like  fine,  old,  curiously  carven  ivory 
boxes. 

Having  built  for  themsehes  the  largest,  most  ornateiy 
beautiful  cathedral  ever  made  in  the  Pisan -Romanesque 
style,  the  Pisan  people  felt  that  it  should  have  near  it 
the  very  finest  bell-tower  that  they  could  build.  They 
were  well  aware  that  the  Venetians  had  finished  in  1155 
a  very  notable  tower,  and  were  bent  upon  making  their 
own  as  much  more  rich  and  impressive  as  they  could. 
They  knew  that  their  rivals  had  built  with  brick  mainly; 
so  they  made  up  their  minds  to  have  white  marble  for 
all  the  outside. 

In  Italy  it  was  not  usual  to  join  a  campanile,  or  bell- 
tower  (called  so  from  campana,  a  bell),  to  a  church,  so 
they  looked  for  a  possible  site  not  very  far  away.  They 
had  already  taken  the  best  and  safest  place  for  their 
cathedral.  For  the  tower  they  took  what  seemed  to  be 
the  next  best,  though  it  had  no  formal  relation  to  the 
great  building  nearby,  not  being  exactly  behind,  nor 
even  close  beside  it.  Though  it  was  the  best  they  could 
use,  the  spot  was  very  swampy  indeed,  so  they  began 
operations  by  driving  a  large  number  of  logs,  called 
piles,  into  the  wet  ground.  Bonanno  was  chosen  to  de- 
sign the  new  work.  For  the  foundation  he  made  a  ring 
of  masonry  ten  feet  deep  and  as  large  as  he  intended 
the  base  to  be,  and  in  1 174,  nineteen  years  after  the  Vene- 
tians finished  their  tower,  this  new  one  was  begun. 


Romanesque  Architecture  105 

The  inner  walls  and  stairs  were  made  of  stone  quarried 
at  the  mountain  five  miles  away,  that  is  called  La  Ver- 
ruca, or  The  Wart.  For  the  outer  side  walls,  the  col- 
umns, and  the  arches  nothing  less  than  fine  white  marble 
would  do.  The  outer  wall  of  the  first  story  was  made 
like  that  of  the  cathedral,  with  a  blind  arcade;  that  is, 
a  series  of  three- fourth  columns  having  arches  turned 
from  each  to  each,  the  whole  being  engaged,  or  attached 
to  the  wall  back  of  it.  These  columns  divide  the  wall 
into  fifteen  high  sections  decorated  with  square  panels, 
of  which  one  is  given  to  the  entrance  door  and  fourteen 
are  turned  diamond-wise,  and  ornamented  with  sculpture 
and  colored  marble  inlays. 

There  are  two  stories  as  to  the  progress  of  the  tower. 
Some  say,  and  the  Italian  government  takes  that  view, 
that  it  was  intended  from  the  start  to  have  the  tower 
lean.  There  were  other  towers  that  were  made  to  lean 
on  purpose  and  there  is  much  to  make  us  suppose  that 
the  Pisans  wanted  to  have  a  leaning  tower.  The  object 
was  to  surprise  the  beholder,  and  to  have  it  pass  for  a 
wonder. 

The  other  story  has  it  that,  when  the  first  colonnade 
was  finished,  a  great  difficulty  arose.  The  tower  was 
sinking,  and  not  even  sinking  evenly.  The  south  side 
had  gone  down  so  much  faster  and  further  than  the 
north  side  that  the  entire  structure  was  quite  far  from 
upright.  Bonanno  knew  that  if,  as  it  grew,  its  center  of 
gravity  could  be  kept  within  its  base-line,  the  tower 
would  stand.  But  if,  as  story  was  added  to  story,  an 
undue  proportion  of  weight  should  overhang  on  the  south 
side,  the  whole  would  fall  in  ruin.     As  a  first  attempt 


io6  Famous  Buildings 

at  correction,  they  tried  to  make  the  third  story  more 
nearly  upright  than  the  second  then  was.  But  the  ground 
continued  to  yield,  and  the  tower  to  sink ;  Bonanno  ceased 
to  be  the  architect ;  —  all  were  discouraged,  and  for  sixty 
years  nothing  more  was  attempted. 

In  the  year  1234  the  chief  workman  on  the  cathedral, 
Benenato  by  name,  undertook  to  finish  the  long-neg- 
lected tower.  He  found  the  difficulties  greater  than 
ever  for,  while  the  work  was  stopped,  the  sinking  had 
been  going  on.  The  fourth  story  was  added  under  his 
guidance,  and  from  that  time  onward  we  hear  and  know- 
no  more  of  Benenato. 

Nearly  a  hundred  years  later  Pisano  undertook  to 
bring  the  work  to  such  a  conclusion  as  the  unforeseen  con- 
ditions would  permit.  It  was  plain  that  the  tower  must 
surely  fall  if  more  stories  of  the  same  size  were  added  at 
the  same  inclination,  so  he  designed  a  narrower  belfry, 
with  wide,  open  arches  in  its  sides,  and  a  flat  roof,  reached 
by  a  curved  and  very  narrow  stone  stairway. 

It  was  in  part  a  thirst  for  greatness  that  induced  the 
Pisans  to  build  their  tower;  and  though  it  rose  only 
about  half  as  high  as  that  of  their  Venetian  rivals,  their 
Leaning  Tower  became  a  sort  of  new  wonder  of  the 
world. 

The  causes  for  the  strange  effect  produced  were  soon 
forgotten  in  the  general  wonder  that  a  tower,  seemingly 
in  the  act  of  falling,  should  continue  to  stand  through 
the  slow-passing  centuries.  Visitors  to  the  Leaning 
Tower  descend  several  steps  to  its  handsome  entrance, 
for  the  base,  once  even  with  that  of  the  Duomo,  is  now 
seven  feet  belovv  the  general  surrounding  level.     Slowly 


Romanesque  Architecture 


107 


climbing  the  two  hundred  and  ninety-four  stairs  that 
lead  to  the  summit,  we  pass,  at  the  top  of  each  story,  a 
door  leading  to  the  external  arcade.  When  we  have 
risen  forty  feet  we  can  look  over  the  neighboring  city 
wall ;  the  later,  longer  wall,  that  was  made  to  protect  the 
city  when  it  had  grown  far  beyond  its  early  bounds,  and 
had  treasures  to  guard. 

In  the  eighth  story,  which  is  the  belfry,  we  find  seven 
bells.  Opposite  to  the  side, 
that  overhangs  its  base  by 
thirteen  feet  and  seven  in- 
ches, is  carefully  placed  the 
largest  and  heaviest  one. 

Suppose  that  all  the  bells 
are  ringing  while  we  mount 
to  the  flat  top  of  the  belfry 
and  lay  our  hands  on  the 
light  encircling  metal  rail- 
ing: the  vibrations  from  the 
booming  and  caroling  bells 
are  so  repeated  by  the 
whole  structure  that  the 
thin  rail  under  our  fingers 
quivers  like  a  violin  string. 

Nearby,  forming  the  last 
of  this  wonderful  group,  is 
the  Campo  Santo,  the  gar- 
den of  the  dead.  It  was 
planned  on  the  dimensions 
of  Noah's  Ark  and  filled  with  more  than  fifty  ship-loads 
of  sacred  earth  from  Calvary. 


Fig.  46.  Round  arch  construc- 
tion. A  pier,  with  perspective 
of  nave,  aisle  and  vaulting  of 
the  Abbey  Church  of  Vezelay, 
France. 


io8 


Famous  Buildings 


STORY  AND   ANECDOTE. 

Twelve  altars  in  the  Cathedral  are  said  to  have  been 
designed  by  Michaelangelo.  The  twenty-four  pillars  of 
the  central  aisle  were  brought  from  the  island  of  Siglio 
and  Elba,  while  those  at  the  sides  were  evidently  col- 
lected from  ancient  buildings.  Many  of  the  sixty-eight 
columns  which  support  the  ceiling  are  of  early  Greek  and 
Roman  origin. 

On  a  mighty 
pillar  is  the  St. 
Agnes,  and  the 
lamb  of  Andrea 
del  Sarto;  one  of 
the  finest  specimens 
of  the  master's  art. 
The  slow  swinging 
of  the  chandelier 
suggested  to  Gali- 
leo the  idea  of  a 
pendulum.  Its  ton 
of  bronze  suspend- 
ed from  the  center 
of  the  nave  is  never 
still,  but  swings 
with  the  same  mo- 
tion from  which  an- 
other great  scholar 
derived  the  secret  of  the  attraction  of  gravitation. 

The  baptistery,  begun  in  1152,  was  not  completed  for 
more  than  two  hundred  years.     An  offering,  of  one  soldo 


Fig.  47.  Example  of  Romanesque  archi- 
tecture from  the  Rhine  country  of  Ger- 
many. Church  of  the  Apostles,  Co- 
logne. 


Romanesque  Architecture 


109 


each  by  thirty-four  thousand  famihes,  was  used  toward 
its  completion.  The  marvelous  echo  of  the  interior  is 
one  of  the  best-re- 
membered sounds 
which  many  a  trav- 
eler brings  away 
from  Italy.  Re- 
peated again  and 
again,  the  most 
ordinary  sound  is 
taken  up  and  trans- 
formed into  beau- 
tiful music, —  one 
note  multiplied  into 
a  choir  of  singers. 
The  pulpit  by  Nic- 
colo  Pisano,  carved 
in  1260,  is  his  mas- 
terpiece and  was 
one  of  the  impor- 
tant beginnings  of 
the  Renaissance  of  the  art  of  sculpture 


48.     Norman    stairway    and    porch. 
Canterbury  Cathedral,  England. 


OTHER    ROMANESQUE    MONUMENTS. 

There  was  a  Romanesque  architecture  in  France,  Ger- 
many, and  England,  highly  developed  and  beautiful,  even 
though  none  of  the  buildings  came  to  rank  among  the 
few  most  famous  in  the  world. 

The  church  at  Vezelay  in  France  was  one  of  the  finest 
and  most  interesting  buildings  of  France.  Figure  46 
shows  a  pier  with  perspective  of  nave,  aisle  and  vaulting. 


no 


Famous  Buildings 


Figure  47  shows  the  Romanesque  Church  of  the  Apos- 
tles at  Cologne,  which  is  one  of  the  best  examples  of  the 
German  Romanesque.  This  was  called  Rhenish  archi- 
tecture because  many  of  the  churches  along  the  Rhine 
showed  similar  traits.  Some  of  them  were  circular  in 
form. 

Durham  Cathedral  in  England  is  one  of  the  very  best 
examples  of  Romanesque.  Early  Romanesque  in  Eng- 
land was  often  called  Norman. 

Figure  48  shows  a  Norman  porch  arid  stairway  from 
Canterbury  Cathedral,  England.  Notice  the  rounded 
masonry  pillars  and  the  semi-circular  arches. 


Baptistery  of  the  Duomo,  Pisa,  Italy. 


THE  CASTLE 

There  is  no  kind  of  building  that  appeals  to  the  im- 
agination more  than  the  castle.  It  is  the  building  of 
fairy-story  and  of  romance,  for  here  dwelt  the  princes 
and  princesses  of  our  early  dreams,  and  here  the  heroes 
of  the  days  of  chivalry. 

By  day  the  tourney,  and  by  night 
The  merry  dance,  traced  fast  and  light, 
The  maskers  quaint,  the  pageant  bright. 
The  revel  loud  and  long. 

Here  to  the  harp  did  minstrels  sing: 
There  ladies  touched  a  softer  string. 

Of,  if  not  of  revel,  we  think  of  war,  when  "  the  Bloody 
Heart  was  in  the  field,"  or  of  siege,  when  opposing  no- 
bles stormed  the  gate.  "  Dungeons  deep,  those  castles 
held,  whose  prisoners  drew  our  tears;  dungeons  where 
liberty  brightest  shines,"  as  Byron  said  in  describing  the 
Prisoner  of  the  Castle  of  Chillon.  We  call  to  mind  the 
Prisoners  in  the  Tower, —  those  two  beautiful  boys  whose 
eyes  were  put  out  with  red-hot  irons, —  and  many  other 
strange  happenings  of  those  times  of  kingly  cruelty  and 
knightly  chivalry. 

We  think  of  the  castle  Sir  Walter  Scott  described  in 
Marmion,  where : 

The  warriors  on  the  turrets  high, 
Moving  athwart  the  evening  sky, 
Seemed  forms  of  giant  height; 


u 


bo 


The  Castle  113 

Their  armor,  as  it  caught  the  rays, 
Flashed  back  again  the  western  blaze, 
In  lines  of  dazzling  light. 

To  picture  to  ourselves  what  lives  were  lived  in  those 
buildings,  we  must  go  back  to  those  feudal  times  when 
the  barons  ruled  the  land.  The  castle  was  built  for 
defense,  often  upon  a  great  rock  or  high  hill,  near  a 
river  or  beside  the  sounding  sea,  as  where : 

The  turret  held  a  narrow  stair. 

Which,  mounted,  gave  you  access  where 

A  parapet's  embattled  row 

Did  seaward  round  the  castle  go. 

Above  the  booming  ocean  leant 
The  far-projecting  battlement: 
The  billows  burst  in  ceaseless  flow 
Upon  the  precipice  below. 

We  say  that  "  every  man's  house  is  his  castle,"  be- 
cause now  we  all  feel  safe  in  our  houses.  In  those  days 
the  whole  world  was  chiefly  in  the  hands  of  a  compara- 
tively few  men;  and  these  barohs,  or  lords,  were  so 
often  at  war  with  one  another  that  great  castles  were 
built  and  fortified.  Here  the  great  men  held  dominion 
over  hundreds,  often  thousands,  of  serfs.  Sometimes 
the  barons  paid  allegiance  to  their  king  or  emperor; 
sometimes  they  defied  the  world.  Many  of  them  were 
robber-barons  indeed. 

Nearly  every  city  and  town  was  then  surrounded  by 
a  wall,  and  commanded  by  a  castle  or  citadel. 

The  castles  of  the  early  Norman  period  were  some- 
times of  earth  and  wood;  but  in  a  few  instances,  as. at 


114  Famous  Buildings 

Richmond  in  Yorkshire  and  the  Peak  in  Derbyshire,  the 
earHcr  defenses  were  stone  walls  inclosing  a  naturally 
elevated  site.  During  the  long  agony  of  Stephen's  reign 
castles  sprang  up  all  over  England.  The  people  had 
good  reason  to  hate  them  and  to  dread  them,  for  they 
all  had  their  torture  chambers  and  dungeons.  No  fewer 
than  1 1 17  of  these  robber  castles  are  said,  by  Daniel, 
the  chronicler,  to  have  been  razed. 

Among  the  very  famous  castles  we  can  all  think  of  a 
few.  There  are  the  Drachenfels  and  many  other  ruined 
castles  along  the  River  Rhine,  each  with  its  wonderful 
tales  of  early  times.  There  is  the  great  castle  of  Sant' 
Angelo  upon  the  Tiber,  in  Rome  near  St.  Peter's,  where 
Benvenuto  Cellini  was  imprisoned, —  the  most  ancient 
of  all  the  great  castles.  There  is  the  much  smaller  castle 
of  Chillon,  upon  Lake  Geneva  in  Switzerland,  of  which, 
and  its  famous  prisoner,  Byron  has  sung  so  beautifully. 
And  there  is  the  Tower  of  London,  full  of  thrilling  his- 
tory. But,  the  greatest  of  all  is  the  one  which  we  have 
in  the  picture,  Windsor  Castle.  It  exists  to-day  as  a 
great  royal  residence,  while  many  another  is  unkept  or 
gone  to  ruin.  Windsor  is  a  sort  of  national  institution, 
and  represents  English  history  since  the  Conquest.  Its 
history  is,  in  brief,  the  history  of  England.  The  times 
of  terror  and  carnage,  which  caused  its  great  keep  to  be 
built,  have  passed  away,  and  it  now  stands  amid  the 
beauties  of  the  English  landscape,  itself  a  part  of  the  pic- 
ture of  grace  and  security.  Its  long  walk  is  an  avenue 
of  elms  three  miles  long,  while  its  chapel  is  larger  than 
many  of  the  great  cathedrals  of  England  and  France. 


The  Castle  115 

CHARACTERISTIC    FEATURES    OF   A    CASTLE. 

There  were  certain  general  features  that  belonged  to 
all  castles,  often  of  great  extent  and  solidity  and  irregu- 
lar in  plan.  The  castle  was  usually  surrounded  by  a 
deep  and  broad  ditch,  or  moat,  which  could  be  filled  with 
water  and  which  adds  so  much  to  its  picturesqueness. 
An  outwork  called  a  barbicon,  which  was  a  strong  and 
lofty  wall,  with  turrets  upon  it,  designed  for  the  de- 
fense of  the  great  gates  and  drawbridge,  was  placed  be- 
fore it.  Within  the  ditch,  towards  the  main  building, 
was  placed  the  castle  wall,  about  eight  or  ten  feet  thick, 
and  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  high,  with  a  parapet  and 
embrasures  on  the  top.  At  proper  intervals  above  the 
walls  square  towers  were  raised  two  or  three  stories  in 
height.  These  were  used  for  the  officers,  attendants, 
and  servants.  On  the  top  of  the  wall,  and  on  the  flat 
roofs  of  the  towers,  the  defenders  were  placed  in  the 
event  of  a  siege,  and  thence  discharged  their  arrows, 
darts,  and  stones  upon  the  assailants.  The  great  gate 
in  the  wall  was  flanked  with  a  tower  on  each  side.  The 
gate  was  closed  with  massive  doors,  and  also  an  iron 
grate,  or  portcullis,  which  was  lowered  from  above. 

Whatever  we  may  learn  about  the  way  the  castles  were 
arranged,  the  walls  and  towers  are  the  ever-familiar  fea- 
tures which  we  associate  with  them.  Within  the  ex- 
terior wall,  there  was  a  large  open  space  wherein  a 
church,  or  chapel,  was  usually  placed.  Within  this  was 
another  ditch  with  wall,  gate,  and  towers;  inclosing  the 
inner  ballium,  or  court,  in  which  was  erected  the  large 
tower,  or  keep.     Figure  50  shows  the  keep  or  strong- 


ii6 


Famous  Buildings 


hold  of  a  French  castle.  This  was  a  large  fabric,  with 
enormously  thick  walls,  pierced  by  apertures  so  small  as 
barely  to  serve  as  windows  to  the  gloomy  apartments 
within.     This  great  tower  was  the  dwelling  of  the  owner 

of  the  castle,  and  in  it  was 
also  lodged  the  governor, 
or  constable.  It  was  pro- 
vided with  underground 
dungeons  for  the  confine- 
ment of  prisoners,  so  that 
the  keep  was  sometimes 
called  the  dungeon.  In  the 
keep  was  also  the  great  hall, 
in  which  the  friends  and 
retainers  of  the  owner  were 
feasted.  At  one  end  of  the 
great  hall  was  a  low  plat- 
form called  the  dais,  on 
which  the  table  for  persons 
of  higher  rank  was  placed. 
We  cannot  say  that  the 
castle  must  necessarily  be 
of  any  one  st3ie  of  architecture.  At  Windsor  many  styles 
exist,  including  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  Gothic  chap- 
els. But  on  account  of  the  dominance  of  the  Norman 
tower  we  may  roughly  call  Windsor  Norman. 

The  Norman  style  arose  in  England  after  the  Norman 
conquest,  and  many  churches  and  other  buildings  were 
built  in  it.  The  chief  features  were  those  of  the  French 
Romanesque.  The  Norman  architecture,  however,  soon 
developed  into  English  Gothic,  and  is  already  Gothic, 


Fig.  50.  Castle  of  Coucy,  France, 
b,  the  gate ;  d,  inner  bailey  or 
courtyard ;  f,  family  apart- 
ments; h,  great  hall;  i,  donjon 
or  keep ;  1,  m,  n,  o  are  the  chief 
towers. 


The  Castle  117 

even  when  we  see  many  Romanesque  features.  Let  us 
not  forget  the  table  on  page  11.  It  tells  us  that  strength 
is  one  of  the  principles  of  Architecture.  Certain  build- 
ings express  their  strength.  A  fortress,  or  castle,  or 
any  building  intended  for  defense,  should  do  this.  A 
stronghold  on  a  mountain-top  appears  the  very  embodi- 
ment of  power. 

Mere  mass  of  wall  does  more  perhaps  to  express  this 
than  any  one  thing.  The  Greek  temple  has  almost  no 
visible  wall,  but  most  of  the  Romanesque  buildings  had 
strong,  thick  walls.  This  made  it  the  most  natural  and 
suitable  style  for  a  fortress  or  castle, 

WINDSOR    CASTLE, 

Windsor  Castle  stands  on  a  commanding  ridge  above 
the  Thames,  twenty-four  miles  westward  from  the 
Tower  of  London,  and,  with  its  three  wards,  or  courts, 
forms  an  oblong  area  measuring  nearly  fifteen  hundred 
feet  from  east  to  west,  and  covering  more  than  twelve 
acres. 

William  H.  Dixon  says :  "  The  Castle  hill  is  crowned 
and  mantled  by  the  Norman  keep,  the  royal  house,  the 
Chapel  of  St.  George,  and  the  depending  gardens,  ter- 
races, and  slopes.  Trees  beard  the  slope  and  tuft  the 
ridge.  Live  waters  curl  and  murmur  at  tl?e  base.  In 
front,  low-lying  meadows  curtsey  to  the  royal  hill.  Out- 
ward on  the  flanks,  to  east  and  west,  run  screens  of  elm 
and  oak,  of  beech  and  poplar;  here  sinking  into  clough 
and  dell ;  there  mounting  up  to  smiling  sward  and  wooded 
knoll.     Far  in  the  rear  lie  forest  glades." 

On  this  site,   tradition  shows,   in  dreamy  indistinct- 


1 18  Famous  Buildings 

ness,  poetic  visions  of  the  court  of  Arthur  and  the  early 
age  of  chivalry,  and  history  tells  us  that  William  I  was 
so  pleased  with  the  spot  that  he  built  and  fortified  a 
hunting-seat  upon  it,  "  where  he  held  his  court  in  1070." 
He  also  increased  the  area  of  the  surrounding  forest 
and  arranged  the  parks.  The  hunting-seat  was  after- 
wards made  a  palace  and  Henry  I  enlarged  it  in  mo. 
Of  course  the  present  building  is  new  in  many  parts, 
but  the  original  dates  back  nearly  900  years.  It  had 
many  victims  of  torture,  imprisonment,  vengeance,  and 
death,  in  the  early  days  particularly. 

Elizabeth's  chief  addition  was  the  famous  north  ter- 
race. Pepys  said  in  1665:  "It  is  the  most  romantic 
castle  in  the  world."  We  can  have  little  idea  of  the 
vast  sums  spent  there  for  kingly  luxury,  but  we  learn 
that  the  House  of  Cornmons  in  1677  granted  £70,000 
to  defray  the  expenses  of  a  solemn  interment  for  the 
late  king.  When  Cromwell  was  in  power,  he  sometimes 
resided  there,  and  is  credited  with  preserving  well  the 
castle  and  its  contents.  Charles  II  first  planted  the  long 
walk,  and  during  his  reign,  the  great  apartments  were 
remodeled  under  Sir  Christopher  Wren.  Queen  Anne 
did  much  for  the  gardens,  spending  £40,000  upon  them. 

As  it  now  stands,  it  is  not  a  medieval  castle,  but  a 
modern  palace,  built  in  castellated  and  civil  varieties  of 
the  pointed  style.  The  result  is  one  of  the  most  appro- 
priate majestic  and  picturesque  palaces  in  the  world.  It 
crowns  a  height  with  an  enormous  diadem  of  battle- 
mented  towers,  strong  with  their  pale  gray  stone,  but 
cheerful  with  their  traceried  windows,  and  rising  from  a 
garland  of  fresh  oaks  and  elms  that  add  their  grace  to  its 


The  Castle  119 

imperial  dignity.  Created  by  the  Middle  Ages,  and  with 
marked  features  of  its  origin,  it  has  grown  to  a  stately 
form  that  nothing  fashioned  only  by  them  could  have 
equaled. 

Windsor  Castle  has  at  least  six  chief  features :  the 
wards,  the  keep,  the  chapels,  the  state  apartments,  the 
North  Terrace,  and  the  entrance  by  the  long  walk.  The 
lower  ward,  first  entered  from  the  town,  has  a  long 
irregular  area.  From  one  end  rises  a  huge  circular 
stone  keep,  and  to  the  top  of  the  flag-staff  it  is  203  feet. 
The  number  of  rooms  in  the  castle  is  great.  Those  oc- 
cupied by  the  sovereign  are  numerous  and  luxuriously 
furnished  and  command  charming  views.  The  state 
apartments  form  a  vast  and  noble  suite  that  shows  a 
great  diversity  of  style.  There  are  dark  oak  casings  and 
rich  carvings  by  Gibbons,  and  ceilings  painted  by  Verrio. 
The  valuable  pictures  are  numerous. 

One  room  is  called  the  Van  Dyke  room,  after  the  works 
by  this  master ;  another  Zuccarelli ;  another  Rubens ;  and 
so  on.  Many  of  the  rooms  are  imposing  for  their  size 
as  well  as  for  their  richness.  The  size  of  some  of  the 
larger  rooms  is : 

Guard  Chamber 78  feet  long  31  feet  wide  31   feet  high 

Ball  Room 90  feet  long  34  feet  wide  33  feet  high 

Presence  Chamber..  50  feet  long  23  feet  wide 

Waterloo  Gallery...  98  feet  long  47  feet  wide  45  feet  high 

St.   George's 200  feet  long  34  feet  wide  30  feet  high 

STORY   AND    ANECDOTE. 

Edward  III  was  fond  of  Windsor,  where  he  was  born, 
and  rebuilt  most  of  the  castle  near  the  middle  of  the 


120  Famous  Buildings 

fourteenth  century,  leaving  the  chief  part  of  the  present 
structure  except  as  it  was  changed  by  remodehng  in  the 
reign  of  George  IV.  The  story  goes,  that,  as  he  was 
walking  with  his  two  captives,  the  kings  of  France  and 
Scotland,  they  remarked  on  the  advantages  of  the  site, 
and  suggested  he  should  build  a  new  palace  there.  "  I 
will,"  said  Edward  with  a  smile,  "  and  you  gentlemen 
shall  pay  for  it." 

William  of  Wykeham,  the  famous  architect,  and  sev- 
eral hundred  workmen,  were  employed  by  Edward  IV. 
The  most  beautiful  and  sumptuous  part  then  built  was 
the  collegiate  chapel  of  St.  George. 

Here  the  great  round  table,  in  imitation  of  Arthur's, 
was  revived  in  the  fourteenth  century,  and  here  also, 
the  famous  Order  of  the  Garter  was  established  in  1348. 
During  this  century  the  court  had  the  reputation  of  be- 
ing the  gayest  in  Europe.  Pageantry  and  splendor 
abounded.     One  chronicle  of  the  time  says : 

that  in  the  threshold 
Come  every  day  — 
Ten  thousand  folk,  by  his  messes  told 
And  in  the  kitchen  three  hundred  servytours. 

Other  sovereigns  successively  made  additions  or  alter- 
ations, and  resided  in  the  castle.  It  was  strengthened 
by  Charles  I,  but  was  seized  by  Parliament,  and  held 
through  the  Civil  War.  In  1648,  Prince  Rupert  made 
an  ineffectual  attack  upon  it;  one  of  the  few  warlike 
events  of  which  it  has  been  the  scene. 

Windsor  has  had  its  famous  prisoners : 

In   1347,  David  Bruce,   King  of  Scotland,  who  had 


The  Castle  121 

been  taken  prisoner  in  batle,  was  brought  to  Windsor, 
and  confined  in  one  of  the  towers  of  the  upper  ward, 
where  he  remained  for  eleven  years,  until  his  poor  coun- 
try was  able  to  pay  the  ransom  demanded,  equal  to  about 
seven  million  dollars, 

Elizabeth's  was  the  reign  of  the  most  brilliant  cere- 
monial. In  Windsor,  Raleigh  told  her  of  the  new  world 
in  America.  There  Shakespeare  discussed  his  new  plays 
with  her,  and  there  "  The  Merry  Wives  of  Windsor " 
was  first  acted.  Elizabeth  came  there  in  1601,  and  great 
sums  were  spent  on  the  scenery  and  costumes  of  the 
plays.  In  her  reign  literary  associations  began  to  cluster 
about  Windsor.  She  herself  wrote  and  translated,  and 
was  the  first  sovereign  who  established  a  stage  in  the 
castle  for  regular  drama.  Many  of  the  plays  were  per- 
fomied  by  the  children  of  Windsor  village,  and  by  others 
from  a  distance. 

Victoria  spent  the  happiest  years  of  her  life  at  Wind- 
sor, and  her  son,  the  late  Edward  VII,  did  much  for 
the  palace.  Electric  lights  and  modern  improvements 
in  general  were  brought  in,  and  the  King  held  splendid 
court. 

The  view  is  regal,  reaching  over  parts  of  twelve  coun- 
ties. English  dale  and  hill,  green  fields,  and  luxuriant 
forests,  quiet  hamlets,  noble  homes,  the  graceful,  wind- 
ing river,  the  dome  of  St.  Paul's,  and  stately  Eton,  all 
are  included  in  the  outlook. 


w 


Fig.  51.    Notre  Dame  Cathedral,  Paris,  France. 
For  description  see  pages  136  to  142. 


GOTHIC  ARCHITECTURE 

The  period  of  the  cathedral-builders  was  one  of  the 
most  wonderful  periods  of  history.  Between  looo  and 
1 500  we  see  these  noble  buildings  rising  all  over  Europe ; 
in  Germany,  in  France,  in  Italy,  and  in  England.  We 
notice,  too,  that  in  different  centuries  the  same  general 
style  prevails  throughout  the  different  countries  at  the 
same  time. 

In  the  twelfth  century,  when  the  Italian  buildings, 
such  as  the  churches  at  Verona,  Como,  etc.,  were  built 
with  round  arches,  the  German  churches  at  Bonn,  May- 
ence,  Freiberg,  etc.,  the  French  churches  at  Aix,  Caen, 
Dijon,  etc.,  and  the  English  cathedrals  at  Canterbury, 
Bristol,  Chichester, —  in  fact  all  those  built  at  the  same 
time,  were  not  only  round-arched  but  had  an  almost 
identical  style. 

In  the  thirteenth  century,  when  pointed  arches  were 
predominant  in  the  architecture  of  France,  they  began 
to  penetrate  all  other  countries. 

In  the  fourteenth  century,  when  Cologne  and  Stras- 
burg  cathedrals  were  built  in  Gothic;  those  at  West- 
minster, York,  and  Salisbury  arose  in  England;  the 
Domes  of  Milan,  Assisi,  and  Florence  in  Italy;  and  the 
churches  of  Beauvais  and  Rouen  in  France.  These  all 
came  almost  simultaneously,  although  France  seems  to 
have  been  the  leader. 

123 


124  Famous  Buildings 

How  did  this  happen?  How  did  it  come  about  that, 
at  ahnost  the  same  time,  in  counties  so  far  apart,  with 
such  varying  cHmates,  and  with  people  so  very  different, 
the  same  style  of  building  would  prevail  at  the  same  time? 

In  those  days  every  craft  had  its  guild.  Tradesmen 
and  artisans  of  all  kinds  were  banded  into  these  asso- 
ciations, and  it  was  an  honor  to  be  admitted  to  a  crafts- 
man's guild  whether  of  masons  or  painters  or  sculptors. 
It  required  an  apprenticeship,  and  so  strict  were  the  rules 
that  those  who  worked  upon  the  churches  were  expected 
to  lead  honorable  lives.  Such  guilds  meant  that  every 
man  was  skilled,  nearly  perfect  in  fact,  in  whatever  he 
did,  and  so  powerful  were  the  guilds  that  they  controlled 
the  style  of  building. 

The  piety  and  devotion  of  the  craftsmen  was  very 
great.  What  Longfellow  wrote  of  one,  we  may  safely 
think  of  nearly  all  the  great  army  of  devoted  laborers  of 
these  ages. 

The  architect 
Built  his  great  heart  into  these  sculptured  stones, 
And  with  him  toiled  his  children,  and  their  Hves 
Were  builded  with  his  own  into  the  walls 
As  offerings  to  God. 

(LongfelloWj  "  Golden  Legend,  As  to 
Strasburg  Cathedral.") 

"  The  churches  of  the  Middle  Ages,"  writes  Okey, 
"  were  no  more  than  an  exquisite  expression  of  what 
men,  were  surrounded  with  in  their  daily  lives  and  avoca- 
tions. The  houses  and  oratories  of  noble  and  burgess 
were  rich  with  carved  ivories,  with  sculptures  and  paint- 
ings, tapestry  and  enamels:  the  very  utensils  of  common 


Gothic  Architecture  125 

domestic  use  were  beautiful.  Men  did  not  prate  of  art: 
they  wrought  in  love  and  simplicity.  If  painting  was 
an  art,  even  so  was  carpentry.  A  mason  was  an  artist, 
so  was  a  shoemaker." 

"  Great  buildings,  like  great  mountains,  are  the  work 
of  centuries,"  says  Victor  Hugo.  "  Often  the  fashions  in 
art  change  while  they  are  being  constructed  and  they 
are  continued  according  to  the  new  art  .  .  .  Time  is 
the  architect;  the  nation  is  the  mason." 

Drawing  a  comparison  between  Classic  and  Gothic, 
Ruskin  sums  up  the  two  opposite  principles  in  two  words, 
"  horizontality  and  verticality."  The  visitor  who  views 
a  Gothic  cathedral  will  move  his  head  up  and  down,  he 
says,  but  in  viewing  a  classic  temple  he  will  move  it  from 
side  to  side.  The  reason  for  this  has  been  explained 
in  many  different  ways.  Some  have  said  that  climate 
has  caused  the  difference,  because  the  snow  of  the  North 
requires  a  high-pitched  roof,  while  in  the  hot  South  a 
perfectly  flat  roof  with  a  projecting  cornice  is  used  to 
keep  off  the  sun. 

Others  have  attributed  it  to  religion,  saying  that  the 
pagan  Greek  was  earthbound,  sensuous,  and  formal, 
while  the  Gothic  builder  was  aspiring  and  spiritual,  his 
spires  and  steeples  pointing  like  fingers  towards  Heaven. 
Others  see  the  cause  only  in  the  materials  the  builders 
had  at  hand.  There  were  great  beauties  in  both.  In 
the  classic  styles  are  found  repose,  simplicity,  harmony, 
and  perfect  proportion.  In  the  Gothic,  variety,  elegance, 
and  life. 

Wordsworth  thus  voices  his  idea  of  the  meaning  of 
some  of  the  forms  of  architecture: 


126  Famous  Buildings 

Diffused  in  every  part 
Spirit  divine  through  forms  of  human  art; 
Faith  had  her  arch  —  her  arch  where  winds  blew  loud, 
Into  the  consciousness  of  safety  thrilled; 
And  love  her  towers  of  dread  foundation,  laid 
Under  the  grave  of  things;  Hope  had  her  spire 
Star-high  and  pointing  still  to  something  higher. 

This  Gothic  architecture  followed  and  was  developcJ 
from  the  Romanesque  by  attempts  to  solve  certain  struc- 
tural problems  in  the  vaulting  of  the  basilican  and  Ro- 
manesque churches. 

Some  one  has  said  of  the  buttressed  Gothic,  that  the 
architects  could  not  make  their  churches  stand  up  with- 
out crutches,  but  we  shall  learn  that  buttresses  were  there 
for  an  artistic  and  useful  purpose  as  well  and  helped  to 
make  the  style  possible. 

Gothic  first  received  its  name  as  one  of  contempt.  The 
Goths  were  a  barbarian  and  vulgar  race  of  the  North 
of  Europe,  who  conquered  the  Romans,  and  the  Gothic 
style  was  at  first  so  called  to  denote  the  poor  opinion 
the  Italian  people  had  of  it.  But  it  was  not  a  vulgar 
style  by  any  means,  for  the  people  of  the  North  had  be- 
come civilized  and  their  Gothic  architecture  was  as  re- 
fined and  elegant  as  any  the  world  has  produced. 

CHARACTERISTICS   OF    GOTHIC    ARCHITECTURE. 

If  we  look  at  a  Greek  temple,  and  then  at  a  Gothic 
church,  we  see  that  they  are  not  at  all  alike.  Yet  the 
Romans  imitated  the  Greeks  in  many  things,  and  Roman- 
esque grew  out  of  Roman;  and,  later  on,  the  Gothic 
grew  out  of  the  Romanesque.     As  each  style  was  being 


Gothic  Architecture  127 

transformed  into  the  next  there  would  be  a  period  of 
time,  sometimes  a  long  period  of  time,  when  the  features 
of  the  new  style  were  only  beginning  to  show  them- 
selves. During  this  period  there  would  appear  in  the 
buildings  a  mixture  of  both  styles.  This  period  was 
usually  called  a  transition  period. 

There  is  no  style  of  architecture  more  distinct  than 
the  Gothic,  and  yet  it  came  into  being  gradually  out  of 
previous  styles.  Gothic,  like  Greek,  has  been  called  the 
most  intellectual  of  styles,  because  every  change  came 
about  for  some  reason  related  to  the  building  of  the  struc- 
tures. 

One  of  the  chief  visible  features  of  Gothic  is  the 
pointed  arch,  and  this  developed  from  the  rounded  arch 
because  the  builders  found  it  the  only  solution  of  the 
difficulties  into  which  the  rounded  arch  led  them. 

One  of  the  chief  difficulties  with  the  rounded  arch  was 
to  make  the  top  of  the  arch  reach  any  desired  height 
or  level  with  different  widths  between  the  supporting 
pillars.  Where  pillars  were  joined  together  by  vaulting, 
the  pointed  arch  could  be  made  to  conform  to  any  level, 
no  matter  how  narrow  the  span  or  distance  between  the 
pillars,  but  the  height  of  the  rounded  arch  was  neces- 
sarily fixed  by  the  imdth  of  the  span.  If  you  examine 
the  two  styles  of  arch,  I  think  you  can  see  how  this  would 
be,  but  I  do  not  think  you  need  to  know  all  about  these 
constructive  difficulties,  nor  about  the  many  complexities 
of  a  great  Gothic  church,  in  order  to  form  an  idea  of  the 
way  in  which  such  a  structure  as  that  shown  in  Figure 
51  was  put  together. 

We  remember  that  the  heavy  stone  roof  of  a  building 


128 


Famous  Buildings 


exerts  a  thrust  or  pressure  outwards  on  the  walls  and 
that  in  Romanesque  buildings,  the  walls  had  to  be  enor- 
mously thickened   in   order   to   withstand   this   outward 

pressure,  and,  fi- 
nally, that  only 
very  small  open- 
ings could  be  al- 
lowed for  win- 
dows. But  in  the 
Gothic,  the  whole 
scheme  of  the 
building  is  made 
to  rest  in  a  frame- 
work made  up 
of  piers,  arches, 
and  buttresses,  in 
which  the  thrust 
in  one  part  is  bal- 
anced by  the  coun- 
ter thrust  in  an- 
other part,  so  that 
the  opposing  pres- 
sures work  against 
each  other,  all  the 
parts  being  as 
light  as  possible. 

The  strength  of 
these  buildings 
was  in  this  skeleton  framework  rather  than  in  the  walls. 
In  fact,  walls  were  not  needed  to  support  the  roofs  and 
this  gave  the  opportunity  for  the  windows  which  are  so 


wyxA 


t^ 


^?,'^->V"/     i.r,,  1»jJ 


Fig.  52.  Typical  scheme  of  a  fully  devel- 
oped French  Gothic  cathedral  of  the  thir- 
teenth century. 


Gothic  Architecture 


129 


large,  and  so  important,  a  part  of  the  beauty  of  these 
Gothic  cathedrals. 

Figure  52  gives  a  fully  developed  French  Gothic  cathe- 
dral in  which  we  can  get  a  view  of  the  structure  as  a 
whole,  while  Figure  53  shows  how  thrusts  balance  each 
other.  The  section  at  the  right  of  the  picture  is  taken 
at  the  level  of  the 
head  of  the  flying 
buttress,  and  the  ar- 
rows indicate  the 
direction  of  the 
thrusts.  The  ]ya.l- 
ancing  of  these 
thrusts  of  course 
tends  to  hold  the 
structure  finnly  in 
place.  Can  you  not 
apply  this  to  Fig- 
ure 52,  and  imag- 
ine these  opposite 
forces  at  work? 

One  of  the  dis- 
tinguishing features 
of    the    appearance 


Fig.  S3.  Cut  showing  thrust  in  Gothic 
architecture.  The  section  in  the  plan  at 
the  right  is  taken  at  the  level  of  the 
head  of  the  flying  buttress.  The  arrows 
show  the  direction  of  the  thrusts. 


of  the  Gothic  churches  was  the  buttress,  and  the  flying- 
buttress,  which  were  essential  parts  of  the  framework 
we  have  mentioned.  The  flying-buttress  was  an  arched 
buttress  which  extended  outside  of  the  walls  and  carried 
the  weight,  or  outward  pressure,  to  another  main  buttress 
standing  outside  of  the  buildings,  sometimes  at  some  little 
distance. 


130 


Famous  Buildings 


Figure  54  shows  buttresses  in  some  detail.  The  parts 
marked  a. a.  are  buttresses  and  the  parts  marked  b.b.  are 
flying  buttresses.  Note  the  pinnacles  which  were  used 
to  give  additional  weight  and  stability  to  buttresses. 
Everything,  no  matter  how  purely  ornamental  it  may 
look,  had  a  definite  use  in  Gothic 
architecture. 

Another  necessary  part  of  the 
Gothic  structure  was  the  ribbed 
vaulting.  Vaulting,  as  we  have 
seen,  being  a  solidly-built  arched 
roof,  it  came  about  in  Gothic  work 
that  ribs  or  molded  arches  fonned 
the  net  work  and  strength  of  the 
vault,  the  rest  being  filled  in  with 
lighter  stone-work  supported  by  the 
ribs. 

Still  another  feature  of  the 
Gothic  style  was  the  tracery,  or 
stone  frames  of  the  great  windows. 
Tracery  may  be  seen  in  Figure  55. 
This  is  not  window  tracery,  but  is 
a  fine  example  of  carved  tracery 
from  Gloucester  cathedral  in  Eng- 
land. Notice  how  it  spreads  over 
the  surface  of  the  vault  like  the 
folds  of  a  fan.  In  the  early  stages  of  Gothic,  tracery 
was  much  simpler  than  in  the  later  ones.  Every  great 
style  develops  in  this  way,  and  as  it  declines  in  vigor,  the 
decorative  features  become  much  more  pronounced.  Fig- 
ure 56  shows  the  tracery  of  the  later  Gothic,  as  found 


Fig.  54;  Buttresses  at 
Abbey  of  St.  Denis, 
France. 

a,  a,  buttresses ;  b,  b, 
flying  buttresses. 


Gothic  Architecture 


131 


in  Rouen  cathedral,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  France. 
Notice  the  wavy,  flamelike  form  of  the  design.  Flam- 
boyant was  the  epithet  applied  to  this  style  in  Europe, 
and  it  corresponded  to  the  so-called  perpendicular  in 
England.  Other  features  of  the  Gothic  edifices  were  the 
rich  carving  and  the  highly  wrought  moldings. 


Fig-  55-  Fan-tracery,  in  the  clois- 
ters of  Gloucester  Cathedral, 
England. 


Fig.  56.  Flamboyant  Trac- 
ery, Rouen  Cathedral, 
France. 


The  churches  of  this  style  were  mostly  in  the  form  of 
a  cross  with  towers  or  tapering  spires. 

The  plan  of  a  Gothic  cathedral  consists  of  a  central 
nave,  the  eastern  portion  of  which  forms  the  choir,  with 
sometimes  one  and  sometimes  two  side  aisles  on  each 
side,   and   with  a   transept,   also   usually  provided   with 


132 


Famous  Buildings 


aisles.  The  choir  terminates  eastward  in  an  apse,  around 
which  the  aisles  are  continued  and,  opening  out  of  these 
aspidal  aisles  is  usually  a  series  of  small  chapels.     The 

nave  is  divided  from  the  aisles 
by  a  row  of  piers  on  each  side 
which  support  the  super-struc- 
ture, consisting  of  the  triforium 
and  clerestory,  and  on  the 
outer  sides  of  the  aisles  are  half 
piers,  against  which  are  set  the 
great  buttresses  of  the  exterior. 
Figure  57  is  the  ground  plan 
of  Wells  Cathedral  in  England 
and  the  plan  is  lettered  and  ex- 
plained in  a  way  that  will  clear 
up  any  doubts  you  may  feel  as 
to  the  exact  location  of  the 
parts.  Figure  58  shows  the 
north  portal  or  door  of  the 
Virgin  of  the  western  front  of 
Notre  Dame  of  Paris. 

Much  attention  was  given  to 
the  design  and  ornamentation 


■itti'.t 


Fig.  57.  Plan  of  Wells 
Cathedral,  England. 

A,  apse  or  apsis ;  B,  altar, 
altar  platform,  and  altar 
steps ;  D,  E,  eastern  or 
lesser  transept ;  H,  central 
tower;  I,  J,  western  tow- 
ers ;  K,  north  porch ;  M, 
principal  or  western  door- 
way ;  N,  N,  western  side 
doors ;  O,  cloister  yard ; 
S,  S,  east  and  west  aisles 
of  transept ;  T,  U,  north 
and  south  aisles  of  nave ; 
R,  R,  chapels ;  V,  road 
screen  and  organ  loft ;  W, 
altar  of  lady  chapel. 


of  doorways  during  the  Middle 
Ages.  In  all  good  architecture 
the  chief  doorway  of  a  build- 
ing is  treated  as  a  very  impor- 
tant feature.  In  Romanesque  churches  the  doorway  is 
no  deeper  than  the  thickness  of  the  wall,  but  many  Gothic 
doorways  are  built  out  from  the  edifices,  and  are  sur- 
mounted by  richly  carved  pediments.     Many  Gothic  ca- 


Gothic  Architecture 


133 


thedrals    had    cloisters    at- 
tached. 

A  lesser  feature  of 
Gothic  decoration  was  the 
carved  gargoyle,  used  to 
carry  off  the  water  from 
the  roofs  and  buttresses. 
The  gargoyles  of  Notre 
Dame  in  Paris  are  fa- 
mous in  song  and  story. 
Sculpture  again  was  most 
important.  The  architect 
or  master-builder  was  al- 
ways a  good  sculptor  and 
so  were  many  of  his  work- 
men. We  find  whole  door- 
ways covered  with  carv- 
ings   and    sculptures,    each 


Fig.  58.  North  Portal,  or  Door 
of  the  Virgin,  of  the  western 
front  of  Notre  Dame  Cathe- 
dral, Paris. 


one  of  which  had  its  special  meaning,  and  the  stories 
which  the  carvings  told  were  taught  to  the  children  and  to 
the  people,  and  were  like  a  bible  of  stone  to  many  who 
could  not  read  plain  printed  letters.    Many  of  the  carved 

forms  were  symbols  and  were 
often  repeated. 

Many  of  the  sculptures 
were  imitated  from  the  flow- 
ers and  leaves  that  grew 
around  the  church.  Nearly 
all   the   most   beautiful    lines 

Fig.  59.    Illustration  of  a  Gar-"  that  are  used  in  carving  are 
goyle.     Thirteenth     century.  ,.  , 

France.  adapted  from  these  Imes  that 


134  Famous  Buildings 

are  common  in  nature,  and  the  Greek  borrowed  the  acan- 
thus leaf  and  appHed  it  to  his  capital,  so  the  best  orna- 
ments of  the  Gothic  period  are  imitated  from  flowers  and 
plants.  It  is  carried  even  further  than  this,  for  is  not 
the  column  itself  like  the  trunk  of  a  tree,  and  is  not  the 
pointed  arch  like  the  trees  of  the  forest  joined  over  our 
heads,  or  like  the  end  of  every  leaf  that  shakes  in  the 
summer  breeze?  Many  have  compared  the  great  Gothic 
cathedral  to  the  dim  interior  of  a  forest,  and  although  ac- 
cidental, the  similarity  is  interesting. 

Pord  Houghton  describing  a  forest,  says 

Bases  far-spread  and  branches  serpentine, 
Sylvan  cathedrals,  such  as  in  old  time 
Gave  the  first  life  to  Gothic  art. 

And   Adelaide   Proctor  describing  the   interior   of   a 
church : 

Then  gazing  up  through  the  dim  pillars  high, 
The  foliaged  marble  forest  where  ye  lie 
"  Hush,"  ye  will  say,  "  it  is  eternity." 

And  again : 

The  walls  of  the  Cathedral  rise 
Like  a  mysterious  grove  of  stone. 

PAINTED   GLASS. 

Painted  glass  was  a  great  factor  in  Gothic  archftec- 
ture,  so  important  a  factor  indeed,  that  there  would  be 
more  meaning  in  the  name  if  it  were  called  the  painted- 
glass  style  instead  of  the  pointed-arch  style. 


Gothic  Architecture 


135 


Heavy  walls  were  not  necessary  to  the  Gothic  church, 
and  especially  in  France  and  the  northern  countries  where 
plenty  of  soft,  colored  light  was  often  a  relief  from  a 
cold  gray  outside,  the  use  of  stained-glass  windows  be- 
came a  very  distinctive  part  of  the  plan  and  decoration. 
The  fullest  magnificence  of  these  beautiful  windows 
came  in  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth  centuries ;  but  the  art 
was  practised  before  that,  and  it  has  been  practised  ever 
since. 

Look  at  the  picture  of  the  wheei- window  and  notice, 
first,  the  pattern.  This  is  all  of  carved-stone  work,  called 
tracery,  and  was  needed  to  hold 
the  glass  in  place  and  to  protect 
it  from  storm  and  wind.  The 
glass  was  colored,  while  molten, 
and  then  cut  up,  and  afterwards 
joined  together  by  bars  of  lead 
or  iron.  The  glass  was  often 
drawn  upon  by  a  pencil  charged 
with  a  color  that  was  afterwards 
burnt  in  and  made  permanent. 

The  artist  of  that  day  wisely 
kept  largely  to  the  idea  of  follow- 
ing a  pattern,  and  of  making  bril- 
liant hannonies  in  rich  colors 
rather  than  of  composing  a  paint- 
ing. The  outside  light  passing 
through  the  window  illumined  the 
interior  with  the  richest  imagin- 
able effects,  and  the  windows  themselves  were  glorious 
and  full  of  splendor.     Figure  60  presents  a  typical  Gothic 


Fig.  60.  Triple  Gothic 
window  from  Lincoln 
Cathedral,  England. 


136  Famous  Buildings 

window  of  the  thirteenth  century,  from  Lincoln  cathedral, 
England. 

We  have  tried,  in  the  preceding  pages,  to  give  some 
idea  of  the  structure  that  is  called  Gothic.  Its  structure 
was  its  life  and  essence  and,  if  you  have  an  idea  how 
the  building  was  put  together,  you  have  got  the  most 
important  thing  about  it.  Let  us  remember  that  many 
buildings  that  are  called  Gothic  are  not  Gothic  in  their 
structure,  and  therefore  not  really  Gothic.  The  mere 
application  of  Gothic  "  features  "  does  not  make  a  build- 
ing a  true  Gothic  structure.  Many  of  the  town  halls  and 
palaces  which  did  not  have  the  structure,  came  to  be  dec- 
orated with  the  features  of  Gothic  decoration  and  we  hear 
of  them  as  Gothic.  Throughout  Europe,  when  Gothic  be- 
came the  fashion,  windows,  traceries,  carvings,  and 
moldings  of  the  Gothic  style  were  freely  used  on  the 
fagades  of  public  and  private  buildings.  When  we  travel 
abroad  these  rich  and  beautiful  structures  greet  us  in  all 
the  old  towns. 

NOTRE   DAME    OF    PARIS. 

Notre  Dame  is  an  edifice  in  the  early  French  Gothic 
style;  one  of  the  first  great  exemplars  of  that  style  to 
be  erected  in  France,  and  the  model  on  which  many  others 
were  afterwards  based.  It  stands  at  present  somewhat 
lower  than  it  once  did,  owing  to  the  gradual  rise  of  the 
surrounding  ground;  formerly  it  was  approached  by  a 
flight  of  thirteen  steps, —  the  usual  number,  from  the 
Temple  at  Jerusalem. 

It  is  a  royal  church  and  therefore  contains  memorials 
of  the  people  of  state.     The  remains  of  an  altar  of  Jupi- 


Gothic  Architecture  137 

ter,  discovered  in  171 1,  indicate  that  a  Pagan  temple 
once  occupied  this  site  where,  in  375,  a  church,  dedi- 
cated to  S.  Stephen,  was  built  under  Prudentius,  Eighth 
Bishop  of  Paris.  In  528  a  far  more  beautiful  edifice 
was  built*  by  its  side,  which  was  to  become  the  cathedral 
of  Paris,  and  it  was  endowed  with  three  estates.  It 
had  not  been  finished  long  when  it  was  besieged  by  the 
Normans  and  successfully  defended. 

The  first  stone  of  a  new  and  much  larger  cathedral 
was  laid  by  Pope  Alexander  III,  in  1163.  The  work  ad- 
vanced rapidly.  The  choir  was  finished  in  1185,  and  a 
year  later  Geoffrey  Plantagenet,  son  of  Henry  II  of  Eng- 
land, was  buried  in  front  of  the  high  altar. 

The  south  porch  was  begun  by  Jean  de  Chelles  in 
1257;  the  north  portal  about  the  same  time;  and  the 
cathedral  was  finished  by  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of 
S.  Louis.  Year  by  year  saw  destructive  changes  until 
the  Revolution  broke  out,  when  the  greater  part  of  the 
statues  of  the  portals  and  choir  chapels  were  destroyed, 
and  the  cathedral  became  a  Temple  of  Reason,  Mile. 
Maillard,  attended  by  her  priestesses  being  adored  as 
Goddess  of  Reason.  Serious  injuries  to  the  beauty  of  the 
old  cathedral  were  perpetrated  under  the  name  of  restora- 
tions at  various  times,  but  since  1845  "lost  of  the  in- 
juries have  been  repaired  during  a  magnificent  restora- 
tion of  the  entire  fabric  under  Viollet-le-Duc.  Even  the 
building  narrowly  escaped  destruction  during  a  period  of 
great  public  excitement  in  France  and  in  Paris,  when  all 
the  chairs  were  piled  up  in  the  choir  and  set  on  fire,  and 
only  the  lack  of  air  and  the  dampness  of  the  walls  saved 
the  building. 


138 


Famous  Buildings 


The  design  not  only  shows  great  size  and  grandeur, 
but  a  general  simplicity,  that  gives  increased  effect  to 
portions  that  are  boldly,  even  richly  decorated.  The 
stone  is  uniformly  soft,  pale  buff  upon  fresh  surfaces, 
and  worked  with  ease,  but  hard  and  grayish  after  long 
exposure. 

Another  feature  is  prominent  on  the  exterior  of  the 
sides  and  apse.  There,  flying  buttresses,  immense  half 
arches,  crested  by  steep  ridgy  slopes,  spring  from  huge 
yet  elegant  supports  of  masonry,  along  the  outer  circuit 
of  the  walls,  and  sweep  far  upwards  to  the  base  of  the 
roof  upon  the  nave.  Tall  pinnacles  give  needed  weight 
and  greater  beauty  at  each  important  point  along  the 
choir.     These  giant  arms  are  very  picturesque,  but  are 

not  made  for  mere 
effect.  They  are, 
as  we  have  seen, 
vital  parts  of  the 
construction,  and 
the  power  and  truth 
of  Gothic  art  have 
fashioned  them 

with  grace  and 
grandeur.  Figure 
6 1  gives  a  view  of 
Notre  Dame  show- 
ing these  prominent 
buttresses  around  the  apse.  Notice  the  steeple  built  up 
over  the  crossing.  This  is  called  the  rood  steeple.  The 
roof  is  of  ponderous  vaulting,  withstood  by  the  mighty 
buttresses.     Over  the  vaulting  is  the  real  roof  —  much 


Fig.  6i.  View  of  Notre  Dame  Cathedral, 
Paris,  from  the  southeast  showing  the 
great  flying  buttresses  and  the  rood- 
steeple. 


Gothic  Architecture  139 

steeper  as  required  by  the  northern  storms  and  masses  of 
snow  that  would  accumulate  on  a  more  level  roof. 

The  windows  are  far  larger  and  more  numerous  than 
in  the  South.  Why?  All  the  sunlight  was  needed  in 
winter,  and  it  could  not  be  oppressive  in  summer.  Thus 
we  see  how  climate  affected  the  style  of  architecture  that 
would  grow  up  in  a  country.  In  the  hot  South  the  cool, 
dark  churches  are  a  relief  from  the  tropical  heat,  but 
here  more  light  was  needed  to  offset  the  many  short  and 
cloudy  days. 

If  we  look  at  the  picture  and  examine  the  front  of  the 
church  we  shall  see  that  it  is  almost  exactly  symmetrical. 
It  is  one  of  the  very  finest  fagades  in  the  world.  No- 
tice the  three  great  portals  and  the  rich  carving  all  around 
them.  Sculpture  within  and  without  was  one  of  the 
characteristic  embellishments  of  Gothic  churches.  If 
you  look  closely  you  may  see  small  projections ;  these  are 
the  gargoyles  of  Notre  Dame.  An  illustration  of  one 
of  them  is  given  on  page  133.  The  use  of  these  is  the 
carrying  off  of  the  rain  water,  but  their  grotesque  carv- 
ing has  made  them  famous.  Over  the  portals  notice  the 
row  of  statues  forming  a  sort  of  band  across  the  entire 
front. 

The  great  wheel-window,  or  rose-window,  over  the 
central  door,  contains  the  original  glass,  and,  as  one  en- 
ters the  building,  its  rich  coloring  is  an  object  to  delight 
the  eye.  There  are  two  other  great  wheel-windows  in 
either  transept,  and  one  of  them  we  can  easily  see  in  the 
picture.  Figure  62  is  an  excellent  cut  of  a  wheel  or  rose 
window. 

A  great  work  of  Architecture  is  an  Expression.     In 


140 


Famous  Buildings 


the  arts  the  worker  expresses  himself  and  often,  either 
intentionally  or  otherwise,  a  great  artist  will  express  in 
his  work  a  great  thought,  a  high  ideal,  or  even  a  na- 
tional one.     We  may  think  of  Notre  Dame  and  of  the 

Gothic  cathedrals  of 
these  times  as  great  ex- 
pressions of  the  grow- 
ing freedom  of  the 
world,  freedom  of 
thought,  and  freedom 
from  oppression.  The 
Gothic  cathedral  ex- 
pressed religious  feeling 
and  aspiration,  and 
there  is  hardly  any  one 
so  dead  of  soul  as  not 
to  be  thrilled  when  he 
enters  one  of  these 
great  churches. 
I  wish  we  could  just  now  be  traveling  in  France  back 
in  those  early  ages.  We  should  visit  a  medieval  town, 
for  great  churches  were  often  built  in  small  towns. 
These  were  times  when  cities  were  surrounded  by  great 
walls  and  ditches  for  protection  against  invading  ene- 
mies. If  we  approached  such  a  town  in  the  early  morn- 
ing, we  should  probably  see  many  of  the  skilled  work- 
men, who  lived  outside,  going  to  their  work,  and  the 
bulk  of  the  great  cathedral  would  be  seen  to  rise  against 
the  sky,  higher  than  all  the  other  buildings.  It  was  the 
pride  and  joy  of  each  city  to  outdo  its  neighbors  in  these 
monuments  for  the  public  instruction  and  benefit. 


Fig.  62.     Rose  window  from  the  Ab- 
bey Church  of  St.  Denis,  France. 


Gothic  Architecture 


141 


But,  besides  all  this,  the  building  is  an  expression  of 
itself,  and  of  the  necessities  of  its  structure.  I  hope  our 
examination  of  the  structure  of  a  Gothic  church  has 
taught  us  that,  whenever  we  look  at  one,  we  should  re- 
member how  its  countless  beautiful  forms  grew  out  of 
real  necessities  about  building  or  constructing  it;  grew 
out  of  real  problems 
which  the  builder  had 
to  solve.  Only  after 
many  years  of  develop- 
ment it  came  out  the 
complete,  logical  whole 
that  we  may  go  and  see 
to-day. 

There  is  no  architec- 
ture more  truly  expres- 
sive in  every  sense  than 
the  Gothic. 

The  interior  of  Notre 
Dame  at  once  gives  a 
profound  impression. 
Genius  has  wisel}* 
formed  it  for  the  uses 
to  which  it  was  dedi- 
cated. Ever>'where  are 
truth,  solemnity,  and 
strength,  that  win  one 


Fig.  63.  Perspective  of  vaulting  as 
applied  in  a  double  curved  apsidal 
aisle,  Notre  Dame,  Paris. 


to  a  devotional  or  meditative  mood,  and  one  must  indeed 
be  stirred  by  the  music  that  resounds  in  tones  of  triumph 
or  of  praise  through  these  old  arches.  The  high  altar 
looks  through  the  unbroken  spaces  of  the  nave.     The 


142  Famous  Buildings 

pulpit  is  placed  where  crowded  audiences  can  assemble 
all  around  it,  and  hear  what  the  preacher  says.  The 
upper  parts,  filled  with  traceries  and  glass,  form  magnifi- 
cent and  brilliant  walls.  Figure  63  shows  a  perspective 
view  of  the  vaulting  as  applied  in  the  curved  aisle  that 
extends  along  the  apse. 

Although  ninety  years  were  consumed  in  the  building, 
the  design  was  carried  out  as  though  it  were  the  thought 
and  plan  of  but  one  man.  It,  therefore,  has  unity,  as 
it  is  called,  or  a  certain  oneness  of  style  —  such  a  com- 
bination of  parts  as  to  produce  a  whole.  A  thought  of 
what  it  would  mean  to  produce  such  a  fabric  to-day  may 
give  us  an  idea  of  the  power  that  could  accomplish  it 
then,  with  a  much  smaller  population  and  far  less  wealth. 

The  Gothic  church  was  thought  out  by  many  minds 
until  it  developed  into  an  almost  perfect  type. 

I  see  thy  beauty  gradually  unfold, 
Daily  and  hourly  more  and  more. 
Gazing  I  seem  to  see 
Thought  folded  over  thought. 

STORY    AND    ANECDOTE. 

It  must  not  be  forgotten  that,  during  the  Middle  Ages, 
the  church  was  used  much  more  than  now.  It  was  a 
meeting-place  for  all:  business  was  transacted  there,  and 
it  was  in  a  true  sense  the  school  of  the  time.  The  peo- 
ple, not  being  able  to  read,  were  taught  by  means  of  the 
sermons,  the  stage  plays  written  to  teach  morality,  and 
by  the  sculptures  and  pictures  on  all  sides,  telling  the 
lives  of  the  saints  and  the  stories  of  the  gospels.  It  was 
also  a  sort  of  museum,  precious  and  curious  relics  being 


Gothic  Architecture  143 

given  to  the  church.  In  Notre  Dame,  there  is  a  carved 
almanac  comprising  the  signs  of  the  Zodiac  and  designs 
for  each  of  the  months.  Of  these,  April  has  one  side 
bare,  the  other  clad  in  warm  raiment  —  and  he  has  two 
heads,  one  asleep  and  one  awake. 

In  his  epitaph,  in  the  Abbey  Church  of  S.  Victor, 
Maurice  de  Sully,  the  seventy-second  bishop  (1160-96) 
was  credited  with  being  the  builder  of  Notre  Dame.  He 
was  the  son  of  a  poor  woman  named  Hamberge,  who 
lived  in  a  humble  cottage  on  the  banks  of  the  Loire,  and, 
like  many  of  the  churchmen  of  those  times,  he  seems 
to  have  had  but  one  parent.  He  was  obliged  to  go  from 
place  to  place  to  beg  for  bread  and  alms  for  himself  and 
his  mother. 

The  history  of  Notre  Dame  is,  in  a  great  measure, 
the  history  of  France.  There,  the  Te  Deum  was  sung, 
after  successful  battles.  The  niost  magnificent  scene 
ever  witnessed  in  Notre  Dame  was  the  coronation  of  Na- 
l^oleon  I,  at  an  expense  of  85,000,000  francs. 

ENGLISH  GOTHIC. 

The  story  of  English  Gothic  may  be  briefly  told  apart 
from  the  general  story  of  Gothic  as  a  whole.  English 
Gothic  succeeded  the  Norman  style  in  England  and  some 
of  the  earliest  pure  Gothic  buildings  in  the  world  are  in 
England. 

THE   NORMAN    STYLE. 

"  An  arch  never  sleeps "  is  a  French  proverb 
French  cathedrals,  owing  to  their  height,  double  aisles, 
side  chapels,  and  the  resulting  complicated  arrangement 


Gothic  Architecture  145 

of  buttress,  flying-buttress,  and  pinnacle,  produce  in  some 
a  feeling  of  unrest  which  displeases  them.  The  churches 
seem  to  give  one  a  sense  of  movement,  the  feeling  that 
stone  is  always  grinding  against  stone. 

"  English  cathedrals  are  quieter ;  more  soothing,  less 
daring;  more  peaceful,"  says  Simpson. 

Norman  Architecture  was  not  Gothic,  but  Roman- 
esque.    But  the  Gothic  grew  out  of  it. 

Norman  windows  are  in  general  long,  and  rather  nar- 
row, round-headed  openings,  but  sometimes  of  two  lights 
divided  by  a  shaft  included  under  one  arch.  There  were 
also  circular  windows.  Rich  doorways  form  one  of  the 
most  important  features  of  Norman  work.  They  are 
generally  round-headed  and  very  deeply  recessed.  The 
tympanum  is  frequently  filled  with  rich  sculpture  and 
moldings  are  numerous.  Zigzag  molding  is  character- 
istic.    The  jx)inted  arch  occurs  as  early  as  11 50. 

Arches  pointed  and  round  appear  to  have  been  used 
indiscriminately  for  a  long  time ;  but  arch  alone  will  not 
determine  style  —  the  moldings  and  general  character 
of  the  edifice  are  the  best  guides.  The  Norman  buttress 
was  plain  and  flat,  and  small  arcades  were  frequently 
used.  The  piers  were  plain,  square  or  round,  and  solid, 
but  often  with  capitals.  The  capitals,  themselves,  were 
plain,  a  sort  of  rude  cushion-shape,  but  later  scalloped. 
The  bases,  too,  were  very  simple.  Moldings  were  ex- 
tremely abundant,  particularly  in  doorways. 

PERIODS    OF    ENGLISH    GOTHIC. 

We  may  give  the  periods  of  English  medieval  archi- 
tecture approximately  as  follows : 


146 


Famous  Buildings 


Early   Norman   in  England 1060- 1090 

Norman  Period   1090-1 160 

Transition    1 160-1 195 

Early   English    1 189-1272 

Transition    1272-1300 

Decorated    1300-1377 

Transition    1360-1399 

Perpendicular   I377-I547 

Debased  Gothic.   Elizabeth  to  the  seventeenth  century 

In  the  transition  period  to  Gk)thic  called  Early  Eng- 
lish, we  see  the  moldings  becoming  elaborated,  the  arch 
pointed,  and  the  flying-buttress  introduced  and  becom- 
ing a  prominent  feature.  The  tower  becomes 
more  lofty  and  the  spire  is  often  a  fine 
feature.  Salisbury  is  the  type  of  Early 
English. 

With  the  incoming  of  the  Decorated,  we 
find  sculptures  of  the  human  figure.     Such 
features  as  this  often  tell  the  experienced  the 
year  of  the  work.     The  doorways  are  often 
large  and  richly  sculptured  and  have  a  rich 
canopy  over  them.     The  Decorated  style  is 
distinguished  by  its  large  windows,  divided  by 
mullions  and  tracery,  which  was  flowing  and 
flamboyant.     Circular  windows  are  also  a  fine 
feature  together  with  clustered  columns,  pin- 
nacles, false-timbered  roofs,  and  fine  spires. 
York  nave  is  the  finest  example. 
The  Perpendicular  is  never  seen  except  in  England. 
Its  feature  is  the  form  of  tracery  at  the  heads  of  windows 
—  no  longer  flowing,  but  divided  by  perpendicular  mul- 
lions, especially  used  in  palaces  and  houses  at  first.    "  Per- 


Fig.  65.  E> 
ample  of 
clustered 
columns. 


Gothic  Architecture  147 

pendicular  "  buildings  often  contain  splendid  open-timber 
roofs. 

The  Houses  of  Parliament  in  London  are  a  good  ex- 
ample of  this  style,  imitated  in  more  recent  times. 

We  may  summarize  the  division  of  styles  by  centuries 
as  follows : 

Eleventh   century    Anglo-Saxon 

Twelfth  century   Norman 

Thirteenth  century   Early  Enghsh 

Fourteenth   century    — Decorated 

Fifteenth  century  Perpendicular 

Sixteenth  century  Renaissance 

The  chief  examples  of  English  Gothic  may  be  set  down 

as  follows : 

Norman  1066      Massive  walls,  flat  but^  Durham  or 

1200  tresses,    round    arch,  Peter- 

small  windows,  large  borough 

moldings,  short  tow-  Cathedral; 

ers,  chevron  or  zig-  Keep    of 

zag  ornament.  London 

Tower. 


Early  1200      Slighter  walls,  project- 

EngHsh  1306  ing  buttresses,  lancet 

windows,  pointed 
arches,  small  deep 
moldings,  slender 
shafts,  stiff  foliage 
in  capitals,  spires, 
sag  tooth  ornaments. 


Salisbury   or 
Lineal 
Cathflal ; 
Kin^Hall, 
Winchester, 
Westmins- 
ter   Abbey. 


Decorated  1300      Much  larger  windows,      York  Minster; 

1400  full  of  tracery,  larger  Litchfield 


148 


Famous  Buildings 


and  fewer  shafts, 
fewer  and  shallower 
moldings,  more  or- 
nament generally, 
arches  less  pointed, 
ball-flower  ornament. 


Cathedral ; 

Warwick 

Castle. 


Perpendicular 

called  Lancastrian 

and  Tudor      1400 

1550 

Followed  by  Eliza- 
bethan -  Jacobean 
—  mostly  in  cas- 
tles and  palaces  — 
and  then  by  Ren- 


Thinner  walls,  enor- 
mous windows. 
Stone  vaulted  roofs 
of  low  pitch,  de- 
pressed arches,  pan- 
eling in  windows, 
divisions  in  perpen- 
dicular lines,  fine 
towers.  Tudor  flow- 
er —  coat  of  arms. 


Canterbury 
(nave  and 
tower)  ; 
Gloucester ; 
King's    Col- 
lege    Chap- 
pel,   Cow- 
dray. 


Figure  66  gives  an  idea  of  some  of  the  typical  mold- 
ings of  the  Gothic  styles.  The  Tudor  style  of  Gothic 
is  much  imitated  in  modern  times  and  an  example  is 
furnished  in  Figure  67.  It  flourished  about  1485  to 
1603. 

WESTMINSTER    ABBEY. 

Unlike  most  of  the  famous  churches,  Westminster 
Abbey  is  not  a  cathedral.  A  cathedral  is  the  principal 
church  of  a  diocese,  which  is  specially  the  church  of  the 
bishop,  and  so-called  from  the  fact  that  it  contains  the 
Episcopal  throne  or  chair  of  the  Bishop,  known  as  the 
"  Cathedra."  But  Westminster  ranks  as  a  cathedral,  by 
its  magnitude  and  by  its  great ,  importance  in  the  art  and 
history  of  England. 


Gothic  Architecture 


149 


Its  early  history  is  hidden  in  an  obscurity  we  cannot 
penetrate.  Legend  says  the  Romans  had  a  temple  on 
the  site.  The  present  Abbey 
was  founded  by  King  Edward, 
the  Confessor,  and  was  dedi- 
cated to  St.  Peter.  It  was 
fifteen  years  in  building,  and 
was  consecrated  on  Innocents 
Day,  Dec.  28,  1066.  The 
church  was  built  in  the  Nor- 
man style,  and  was  regarded 
as  a  structure  of  matchless 
size  and  beauty.  But  of  this 
goodly  edifice  hardly  anything 
remains  except  a  few  frag- 
ments of  the  superstructure. 

The  Abbey  is  5 1 1  feet  long, 
the  transepts  203  feet  across. 
Of  the  now  existing  church, 
the  oldest  parts  are  the  chapel  and  transepts  built  by 
Henry  III  ( 12 16-1772).  They  are  in  Early  English,  or 
first  pointed  style.  The  lower  part  of  the  western  tow- 
ers and  the  faqade  were  fairly  repaired  by  Sir  Christopher 
Wren. from  1713  to  1723. 

The  style  of  the  church  is  Early  English,  of  the  later 
period  in  its  most  graceful  and  magnificent  development, 
its  unity  of  design  second  only  to  Salisbury.  The  whole 
can  be  understood  only  after  repeated  visits.  The  ex- 
terior is  impressive  from  its  length  and  height,  the 
boldness  of  the  buttress,  and  its  grand  simplicity,  except 
at  the  east  end  where  the  elaboration  is  very  remarkable. 


Fig.  66. 


Gothic  moldings  in 
sections. 


150 


Famous  Buildings 


Gray  is  the  prevailing 
color,  bleached  to  white- 
ness or  shaded  to  grim 
black. 

STORY    AND   ANECDOTE. 

Westminster  Abbey  was 
once,  for  ten  years,  a  ca- 
thedral, and  was  then 
called  "  St.  Peter's." 
When  the  bishop  and  es- 
tates were  transferred  to 
St.  Paul's,  the  by-word 
arose  of  "  robbing  Peter 
to  pay  Paul."  Though  it  no  longer  has  a  bishop  it  is 
often  regarded  as  a  cathedral  on  account  of  its  dignity 
and  imposing  size.  Here  the  imperial  island  keeps  its 
mighty  dead.  More  than  twenty-five  Kings  and  Queens 
are  buried  in  the  Abbey,  including  Mary  Queen  of  Scots, 
and  Elizabeth ;  such  statesmen  as  Pitt,  Fox,  Canning,  Wil- 
berforce,  and  Gladstone;  such  writers  as  Chaucer,  Spen- 
cer, Ben  Jonson,  Dryden,  Dickens,  and  Grote;  and  such 
other  great  men  as  Sir  Isaac  Newton  and  David  Garrick. 
Even  though  a  purer  type  of  English  Gothic  may  exist 
than  Westminster  Abbey,  no  other  building  in  the  world 
has  as  much  general  and  historical  interest  for  every 
reader. 


Fig.  67.    Tudor   architecture. 


GIOTTO  S    TOWER. 


In  a  future  chapter,  on  Renaissance  Architecture,  we 
speak  of  the  great  dome  of  the  Cathedral  of  Florence. 


Gothic  Architecture 


151 


The  dome  only  was  Renaissance;  the  Cathedral  itself  was 
Gothic,  though  it  hardly  looks  like  Gothic  after  one  has 
seen  Notre  Dame.  In  fact  it  is  not  true  Gothic.  The 
Italians  built  only  a  few  true  Gothic  churches  like  that  at 
Milan.  They  did  not  adopt  the  flying  buttress  and  pin- 
nacle, the  large  pointed  windows  and  the  other  promi- 
nent Gothic  features  such  as  we  see  in  France,  Germany, 
and  England.  They  did  not  care  much  for  Gothic. 
Milan  is  an  exception.  Rome  with  its  365  churches  of 
note,  one  for  every  day  of  the  year,  has  only  on6  good 
Gothic  church. 

The  Florence  Cathedral  was  as  near  as  the  Florentines 
of  that  day  cared  to  come  to  true  Gothic.  Amol!"©  del 
Cambio,  its  architect,  was  one  of 
the  greatest  builders  of  the  Middle 
Ages.  The  bell-tower,  as  we  read 
in  connection  with  Pisa,  was  in 
Italy  a  separate  building.  That  at 
Florence  was  no  exception.  It  was 
designed  and  mostly  built  by 
Giotto  and  was  known  as  Giotto's 
tower.  He  and  his  tower  are  two 
of  the  most  famous  things  in  all 
the  world. 

Figure  68  gives  but  a  faint  idea 
of  the  tower,  but  will  show  us  its 
shape,  and  the  arrangement  and 
style  of  its  windows,  and  the  sym- 
metry and  beauty  of  its  composi-    ^.     ^„ 

,,        ^,-   /  •  ;    ,         Fig.  68.     Giwu-.  „   iww- 

tion.      Mrs.  Oliphant  writes  of  the         er,     Florence,     Italy. 

ramriQnJI*:.-  Cathedral    shown    at 

L^ampanne .  tj^^  j.jgjjj 


152  Famous  Buildings 

"  Of  all  the  beautiful  things  with  which  Giotto  adorned 
his  city,  not  one  speaks  so  powerfully  to  the  foreign 
visitor  as  the  lovely  Campanile  which  stands  by  the  great 
Cathedral,  The  enrichments  of  the  surface,  which  is 
covered  by  beautiful  groups  set  in  a  graceful  framework 
of  marble,  with  scarcely  a  flat  or  unadorned  spot  from 
top  to  bottom,  has  been  ever  since  the  admiration  of  art- 
ists and  of  the  world.  The  structure  affords  us  that  soft 
ecstasy  of  contemplation  which  art  so  seldom  gives, 
though  Nature  often  attains  it  by  the  simplest  means, 
through  the  exquisite  perfection  of  a  flower,  or  the 
stretch  of  a  summer  sky." 

Ruskin  says  of  it:  "And  if  this  be,  as  I  believe  it, 
the  model  and  mirror  of  perfect  architecture,  is  there 
not  something  to  be  learned  by  looking  back  to  the  early 
life  of  him  who  raised  it?  Not  within  the  walls  of  Flor- 
ence, but  among  the  far-away  fields  of  her  lilies,  was  the 
child  trained,  who  was  to  raise  that  headstone  of  Beauty 
above  her  towers  of  watch  and  war.  Remember  all  that 
he  became :  count  the  sacred  thoughts  with  which  he 
filled  the  heart  of  Italy." 

ANECDOTES    OF   GIOTTO. 

The  story  of  Giotto's  life  is  like  a  fairy-tale.  It  is 
said  that,  when  Cimabue,  the  painter,  was  quite  old  and 
very  famous,  he  was  riding  in  the  valley  of  Vespignano, 
a  few  miles  from  Florence,  and  saw  a  shepherd-boy,  who, 
while  his  flocks  were  feeding,  was  making  a  picture  of 
one  of  his  sheep  on  a  bit  of  slate  with  a  pointed  stojie. 
Cimabue  looked  at  the  sketch  and  found  it  so  good  that 
he   offered   to   take   the   little   Giotto  —  who    was   only 


Gothic  Architecture  153 

twelve  years  old  —  and  teach  him  to  paint.  The  boy 
was  very  happy,  and  his  father,  whose  name  was  Bon- 
done,  was  glad  of  this  good  fortune  for  his  son;  so 
Giotto  di  Bondone  lived  thenceforth  with  the  noble 
Cimabue,  and  was  instructed  in  letters  by  Brunetto 
Latini,  who  was  also  the  teacher  of  the  great  poet,  Dante ; 
while  his  art  studies  were  made  under  his  adopted  father, 
Cimabue. 

Pope  Boniface  VIII,  hearing,  in  Rome,  of  Giotto  s 
painting,  sent  to  invite  him  to  his  court.  The  messen- 
ger of  the  Pope  asked  Giotto  to  show  him  something  of 
the  art  which  had  made  him  so  famous ;  and  Giotto,  tak- 
ing a  sheet  of  paper  and  a  pencil,  drew  quickly,  with  a 
single  motion,  a  circle  so  perfect  that  it  was  considered  a 
miracle. 

When  at  Naples,  in  the  employ  of  King  Robert,  one 
very  hot  day,  the  King  said:  "  Giotto,  if  I  were  you,  I 
would  leave  work,  and  rest." 

"  So  would  I,  sire,  if  I  ivere  you''  said  Giotto. 

ANECDOTES    OF    ARNALFO    DEL   CAMBIO. 

Arnalfo  was  born  in  1232  and  died  in  1300.  Vasari 
says  that  by  his  labors  architecture  made  equal  progress 
with  that  of  painting  under  the  influence  of  Cimabue. 
His  greatest  work  was  on  the  cathedral  at  Florence,  the 
walls  of  which,  greatly  altered  to-day,  were  almost  cov- 
ered with  marbles  of  various  colors.  So  great  was  the 
strength  of  the  foundations,  nearly  thirty  feet  deep,  that 
they  gave  Brunelleschi  the  courage  to  erect  the  great 
dome  upon  them.  Besides  the  cathedral  he  made  the 
plans  of  the  church  of  Santa  Croce,  one  of  the  most  in- 


154  Famous  Buildings 

teresting  to-day  to  visitors  in  Florence.  His  portrait 
was  introduced  into  one  of  the  paintings  in  this  church, 
but  it  has  been  lost. 

COLOGNE    CATHEDRAL. 

One  of  the  great  monuments  of  the  world  is  the  Ca- 
thedral of  Cologne.     Some  have  called  it  the  grandest  in 


Fig.  69.     Cologne  Cathedral,  Germany,  French  in  pattern. 

the  world.     Look  at  the  picture  and  you  will  be  able  to 
pick  out  nearly  all  the  Gothic  features  we  have  described 


Gothic  Architecture 


155 


—  the  towers  with  spires,  the  many  pinnacles,  including 
the  large  one  marking  the  place  where  the  nave  and 
transepts  cross,  the  pointed  windows  rich  with  tracery, 
the  apse  in  the  rear,  and  the  many  buttresses  and  flying 
buttresses.  Cologne  Cathedral  w^as  begun  in  1248  and, 
with  many  periods  of  inactivity,  was  finally  finished  in 
1880.  The  exterior  is  rich  in  sculptured  ornament,  and 
the  imposing  interior  is  lighted  by  stained-glass  windows. 
There  is  no  cathedral  that  so  entirely  dominates  a  town 
as  this  one.  You  will  probably  never  forget  the  day  you 
first  arrive  there  on  the  train,  particularly  if  you  are 
lucky  enough  to  come 
in  as  the  sun  is  setting 
behind  the  great  mass 
of  the  cathedral.  Co- 
logne is  one  of  the 
quaintest  of  cities  and 
coming  as  it  usually 
does  before  or  after  a 
Rhine  journey,  it  al- 
ways leaves  pleasant 
memories. 

OTHER  GOTHIC  MONU- 
MENTS. 

The    Cathedral    at 
Amiens,  France, 

shares  the  honors  with      Fig.  70. 
Notre    Dame    as    the 
most  beautiful  of  Gothic  monuments.     Figure  70  gives 
us  the  west  front.     Notice  the  built-out  doorway,  and 


Amiens  Cathedral,  Amiens, 
France. 


156 


Famous  Buildings 


in  Figure  71  which  shows  the^choir,  note  the  richly  carved 
stalls  along  the  sides  and  the  appearance  of  the  pillars 

and  vaulting  and 
the  wheel-window 
in  the  rear.  It  is 
a  typical  Gothic 
interior. 

Milan  Cathe- 
dral deserves  a 
special  word  of 
description  be- 
cause, besides  be- 
ing the  largest  of 
all  Italian  Cathe- 
drals, excepting 
St.  Peter's,  it  is  beyond  doubt  by  far  the  most  remarkable. 
The  great  width  and  height  of  the  church,  the  vistas 
across  it,  the  dazzling  rays  of  sunlight  which,  at  morn- 
ing and  evening  especially,  stream  through  the  great  aisle- 
windows,  all  combine  to  make  it  one  of  the  most  mar- 
velous interiors  in  the  world.  One  thousand  or  more 
statues  adorn  the  exterior. 

Graceful,    grotesque,    with    ever    new    surprise 
Imagination's  very  self  in  stone. 

Lowell. 


Fig.  71.     Choir  of  Amiens  Cathedral 
France. 


THE  RENAISSANCE 

We  now  come  to  one  of  the  greatest  periods  of  the 
world's  history  called  the  Renaissance.  This  period,  be- 
ginning about  the  year  1500,  produced  a  new  style  of 
architecture  which  gradually  displaced  the  Gothic.  It 
was  called  the  Renaissance  style,  but  before  we  inquire 
what  it  was  like,  we  will  try  to  see  how  it  came  about 
that  a  new  style  should  appear. 

On  account  of  the  great  accumulation  of  wealth,  men 
now  had  leisure  to  study,  and  their  study  led  them  to 
learn  about  the  Greeks  and  Romans  and  the  wonderful 
things  they  had  done  in  literature,  sculpture,  and  archi- 
tecture. This  study  became  a  world-wide  interest,  mak- 
ing people  of  taste  wish  to  imitate  the  old  arts,  and  be- 
cause they  did  so,  and  revived,  and  brought  to  life  the 
classic  beauties  of  an  older  time,  the  new  style  was  called 
the  Renaissance,  or  new-birth.  For  hundreds  of  years 
previous  to  this  the  people  of  Europe  had  not  been  much 
interested  in  these  things.  The  Romans  conquered  the 
world ;  but  Rome  fell,  and  the  barbarous  races,  that  over- 
flowed Europe,  had  to  live  hundreds  of  years  before  they 
became  as  educated  and  cultured  as  the  people  they  super- 
seded. Although  these  are  sometimes  called  the  Dark 
Ages,  real  progress  was  being  made  all  the  time.  New 
languages  came  into  being,  and,  as  the  people  l^ecame  less 
warlike,  they  began  to  enjoy  peace  and  to  found  homes 

157 


Fig.  72.    The  dome  of  the  Cathedral,  Florence,  Italy.     See  descrip- 
tion on  pages  166  to  170. 


The  Renaissance  159 

and  accumulate  money.  In  this  way  they  got  ready  for 
the  new  kind  of  Hfe  that  was  to  come;  and  Italy,  first  of 
all,  because  she  first  became  rich  and  prosperous  and 
secure.  Her  cities  were  in  a  more  civilized  state  and 
enjoyed  comforts  and  luxuries  unknown  elsewhere. 

The  men  of  this  time  added  much  to  the  older  civiliza- 
tion. Printing  became  an  art,  and  gunpowder  put  an 
end  to  the  old  ideas  of  battle.  The  art  of  painting,  with 
Michaelangelo,  Leonardo  da  Vinci,  and  Raphael,  re- 
\'ealed  a  new  life  to  the  world,  and  sculpture  almost 
breathed  the  breath  of  the  antique  work  of  Greece.  As 
we  go  through  Italy  to-day  we  may  see  how  every  city 
and  hamlet  was  being  stored  richly  with  countless  beau- 
ties during  this  time.  Architecture  was  revolutionized 
under  the  influence  of  Brunelleschi,  Michaelangelo,  Bra- 
mante,  and  a  few  others. 

In  these  Renaissance  days  a  few  great  minds  caiiJie 
forward  m  each  of  the  arts,  renewed  them,  and  made 
them  great.  Things  had  changed  since  the  times  when 
a  certain  type  of  building  and  a  certain  type  of  ornament 
were  impressed  by  guilds  upon  all  the  workmen  of  the 
world,  for  now  a  single  individual,  having  a  great  idea, 
might  set  the  pace.  Every  new  thing  worth  having  be- 
gins as  an  idea  in  some  one's  mind,  and  this  Renaissance 
was  a  period  of  freedom  of  thought  where  a  few  men's 
ideas  could  not  be  forced  upon  every  one  to  the  same 
extent  as  formerly.  If  men  followed  the  great  ideas  of 
a  Brunelleschi,  or  a  Michaelangelo,  it  was  through  love 
of  them,  or  appreciation  and  enthusiasm  for  their  works. 
This  spirit  of  freedom  has  been  growing  in  the  world 
ever  since. 


i6o  Famous  Buildings 

We  may  safely  declare  that  the  Renaissance  brought 
a  new  world  of  thought,  a  new  era  of  freedom,  that  it 
was  a  period  of  true  advance  in  the  world  when  men 
learned  to  value  themselves,  and  that  it  put  a  new  mean- 
ing into  the  individual  lives  of  men.  But,  when  we  have 
said  all  that  we  can  in  favor  of  the  Renaissance,  let  us 
also  remember  that  there  are  many  people  who  think 
there  was  never  anything  so  beautiful  in  architecture  as 
that  of  the  ages  that  preceded  it. 

It  is  hardly  possible  to  speak  of  the  Renaissance  with- 
out mentioning  the  great  family  of  the  Medici,  the  most 
powerful  family  of  Florence,  and  probably  the  greatest 
in  the  annals  of  Italy.  Florence  was  the  birthplace  of 
the  Renaissance,  and  art  and  letters  grew  and  flourished 
very  largely  under  the  patronage  of  this  rich  family, 
whose  sons  became  rulers  of  other  states,  or  became 
Popes,  and  whose  daughters  married  royalty. 

The  best  known  are  Cosimo  and  his  grandson,  Lorenzo. 
These  men,  each  in  his  time,  held  a  great  court,  built 
beautiful  palaces,  and  lived  a  life  of  great  luxury.  When 
they  discovered  a  man  of  genius  in  the  arts  they  would 
give  him  commissions,  take  him  into  the  court,  dine  him 
at  table  with  other  men  of  intellect  and  power,  and  so 
they  encouraged  the  arts,  and  must  have  had  much  to  do 
with  the  preeminence  of  Italy  in  the  world  of  art. 

Thus  it  is  that  so  many  of  the  greatest  and  most  beau- 
tiful things  in  the  world  are  named  for  them.  We  first 
read  of  Michaelangelo  copying  statues  in  the  gardens  of 
the  Medici,  and  when  we  go  to  Florence  we  see  his  won- 
derful creations  in  the  tombs  of  the  Medici.  We  also 
visit  the  Uffizi  gallery  to  see  the  Venus  de  Medici.     In 


The  Renaissance  l6l 

fact  Medici  is  written  large  even  in  the  Florence  that 
remains  to-day. 

CHARACTERISTICS    OF    RENAISSANCE   ARCHITECTURE. 

In  a  word,  the  characteristics  of  the  Renaissance  build- 
ings are  those  of  Greece  and  Rome  applied  to  new  and 
different  kinds  of  buildings.  Having  studied  the  Greek 
and  Roman  buildings,  we  can  best  become  acquainted 
with  the  Renaissance  buildings  by  looking  carefully  to 
see  where  and  how  the  Greek,  or  chiefly  the  Roman,  char- 
acteristics were  built  into  the  palaces,  villas,  town-halls, 
and  into  the  great  churches  with  their  lofty  domes. 

First  of  all,  the  dome  set  on  a  pillared  drum  and 
crowned  with  a  lantern,  the  whole  surmounting  a  church 
edifice,  was  the  one  great  original  production  of  the 
Renaissance.  We  see  this  in  the  Duomo  at  Florence, 
and  in  St.  Peter's  and  St.  Paul's  in  the  following  pages. 
The  wonderful  palaces  of  Florence  and  Rome  and  later 
the  chateaux  of  France  show  the  old  Greek  and  Roman 
forms  applied  in  new  and  beautiful  ways.  The  town- 
halls  and  guild-halls  of  the  great  European  cities  were, 
many  of  them,  treated  in  this  way  and  were  called  Ren- 
aissance. The  Renaissance  style  applied  to  the  fronts, 
or  fagades  of  buildings  along  the  fine  streets  of  the  time 
created  a  street  architecture  of  a  noble  sort  which  one 
may  recognize  and  study  in  hundreds  of  cities. 

We  have  emphasized  the  meaning  of  "  structural  "  in 
architecture,  but,  aside  from  the  dome,  the  Renaissance 
architects  did  not  do  much  that  was  new  in  structure.  In 
fact  they  rather  ignored  structure  in  their  use  of  col- 
umns, which  supported  nothing,  and  of  engaged  columns 


l62  Famous  Buildings 

used  only  for  ornament.  Rich  ornamentation  was  one 
of  the  chief  characteristics  of  the  buildings  of  the  time 
and  the  semi-circular  arch  copied  from  Roman  architec- 
ture was  everywhere  employed.  Interior  decoration  also 
became  very  splendid. 

Symonds  says  that,  what  the  architects  did  was, 
after  familiarizing  themselves  with  the  remains  of  an- 
cient Rome,  and  assimilating  the  spirit  of  Roman  art,  to 
clothe  their  own  inventions  with  classic  details.  This  is 
a  good,  brief  definition. 

The  form  and  structure  of  their  edifices  was  modern; 
the  parts  were  copied  from  antique  models.  A  want 
of  organic  unity  and  structural  sincerity  is  often  the 
result  of  those  necessities  under  which  a  secondary  and 
adapted  style  must  labor,  and  thus  even  the  best  Renais- 
sance buildings  display  faults. 

When  the  buildings  of  the  new  style  began  to  appear, 
the  then  existing  buildings  had  no  hint  of  the  Greco- 
Roman  styles  —  the  churches  were  Gothic  with  high 
pointed  arch  and  delicate  tracery,  the  castles  and  keeps 
were  stern  towers,  the  home  a  plain  building. 

Then  in  a  hundred  years,  or  even  less,  we  see  a  com- 
plete change.  All  the  new  buildings  are  in  the  new  style, 
ornamented  with  columns,  entablatures,  and  pediments. 
The  dwelling  houses  are  no  longer  poor  and  mean,  but 
fine,  often  magnificent.  The  villa  has  appeared,  the  man- 
sion and  the  university.  Except  for  the  great  domes 
of  the  churches,  the  new  architecture  consisted  largely 
in  adapted  Greek  and  Roman  features,  and  as  these  fea- 
tures were  mostly  present  as  decorations  on  cornices, 
doorways,  windows,  and  balconies,  a  study  of  these  four 


The  Renaissance 


163 


features  would  acquaint  us  with  the  appearance  of  the 
Renaissance  style. 

The  doorway  usually  had  a  border  around  it  covering 
the  Hntel  and  the  jamb.     At  either  side  were  antique 

columns,  or  pilasters, 
while  across  the  top 
were  the  architrave, 
frieze,  and  cornice, 
probably  copied  from 
some  building-  of  an- 
cient Rome.  The 
whole  doorway  was 
surmounted  by  a  pedi- 
ment or,  perhaps  by  a 
curved  and  scrolled 
variation  of  it. 

The    windows    were 
similarly  treated. 

Sometimes  the  curved 
top,  sometimes  the  tri- 
angular were  used. 
Often  the  two  would 
be  alternated  along  a 
fagade.  One  or  both  were  present  in  endless  variety. 
We  may  think  of  the  builders  of  these  fagades  as  of  an 
artist  painting  a  picture.  The  space  that  he  had  to  fill 
we  may  imagine  to  have  been  at  first  a  blank  white  can- 
vas. The  architect  could  apply  his  colors  in  the  colors 
of  his  building  stones  or  marbles ;  he  could  give  texture 
by  the  roughness  or  smoothness  of  his  materials.  The 
chief  things  were  the  masses,  and  the  lights  and  shades, 


Fig.  7Z 


Renaissance  palace 
doorway. 


164 


Famous  Buildings 


which  he  could  apply  by  means  of  his  windows,  door- 
ways, cornices,  and  moldings,  and  by  the  projecting 
courses  of  masonry.  He  could  arrange  different  col- 
ored stones  and  marbles  so  as  to  produce  a  pattern  for 
the  sake  of  decoration,  as  is  so  beautifully  done  on  the 
front  of  the  Doges'  palace  at  Venice.  Wherever  stones 
were  raised  or  brought  forward,  lights  would  appear, 
and  receding  parts  would  be  veiled  in  shadow.  All  the 
rules  that  would  rightly  govern  an  artist  in  composing 
a  picture  would  apply  to  the  composition  of  the  fagade. 
Different  treatment  would  be  needed,  as  of  course  you 

see,  and  the  archi- 
tect would  so  plan 
as  to  have  the 
result  express  the 
uses  and  meaning 
of  the  building. 

It  is  a  general 
truth  that  each 
style  began  in  sim- 
plicity and  gradu- 
ally grew  more 
complicated.  It  was 
so  with  the  Ren- 
aissance, as  we 
shall  see  while 
tracing  its  growth 
and  decline.  Its 
history  is  divided 
by  Professor  Hamlin  into  four  periods,  as  follows: 
The  Early  Renaissance  or  Formative  Period,  1420-90, 


Fig.  74.     Rococo.     All    interior   in   Baden, 
Germany. 


The  Renaissance 


165 


characterized  by  the  grace  and  freedom  of  the  decorative 
detail  suggested  by  Roman  art,  and  applied  to  composi- 
tions of  great  va- 
riety and  originality ;  ^7. 
the  High  Renais- 
sance of  Classic 
Period,  1490- 1550, 
during  which  classic 
details  were  copied 
with  fidelity,  the  or- 
ders appearing  in 
nearly  all  composi- 
tions ;  the  decline 
(called  also  the  Bar- 
oque), 1550-1600,  a 
period  of  classic  for- 
mality characterized 
by  the  use  of  colos- 
sal orders,  engaged  TTJfi 
columns,  and  rather 
scanty  decoration, 
followed  by  the  vul- 
gar extravagances  of 
the  Baroque ;  and  the 
Rococo,      1600      to 


Fig.  75.    Ornate  Renaissance  tomb  in  the 
Cathedral  of  Rouen,  France. 


1700,  a  period  marked  by  poverty  of  invention,  and  a 
predominance  of  sham  and  display  in  decoration,  huge 
scrolls,  florid  stucco  work,  and  general  architectural  im- 
propriety. Figure  74  represents  a  Rococo  interior  with 
its  meaningless  assemblage  of  scrolls,  and  Figure  75  an 
ornate  Renaissance  tomb. 


i66  Famous  Buildings 

THE    DUOMO FLORENCE. 

The  spirit  in  which  the  Florentines  undertook  this 
great  work  of  architecture  is  shown  in  the  noble  senti- 
ment embodied  in  the  official  document  by  which  the 
council  of  the  city  decreed  the  erection  of  their  cathe- 
dral: 

"  A  government  should  undertake  nothing  unless  in 
response  to  the  desire  of  a  heart  more  than  generous, 
which  expresses  in  its  beatings  the  heart  of  all  its  citi- 
zens united  in  one  common  wish;  it  is  from  this  point 
of  view  that  the  architect  charged  with  the  building  of 
our  cathedral  must  be  regarded." 

The  baptistery  of  the  Florence  cathedral  had  been 
built  in  an  earlier  age  (in  the  Romanesque  style),  and 
was  used  for  some  time  as  a  cathedral.  It  is  really  the 
first  cathedral.  Then  came  the  cathedral  proper  which 
is  Gothic.  The  campanile,  although  not  round  like  the 
one  at  Pisa,  was  built  for  the  same  purpose,  and  is  also 
Gothic. 

We  have  glanced  at  this  while  studying  Gothic  archi- 
tecture. 

Now  a  whole  age  later  we  come  to  the  dome,  which 
was  the  first  great  work  in  architecture  of  the  Renais- 
sance in  Italy. 

Let  us  notice  one  contrast  in  the  building  of  this  dome 
and  the  building  of  the  cathedral  at  Pisa.  At  Pisa,  as 
was  the  case  with  most  of  the  great  Romanesque  and 
Gothic  buildings,  the  work  was  all  done  along  the  same 
general  lines,  and  by  the  labor  of  the  guilds.  At  Flor- 
ence we  find  one  great  master  mind  taking  a  new  bent 


The  Renaissance  167 

and  laying  the  foundation  of  a  great  new  style  in  the 
dome  of  the  cathedral.  This  mind  was  Brunelleschi's 
and  the  work  of  individual  men  was  so  influential  that 
we  see  a  few  such  men  as  Brunelleschi,  Bramante,  and 
Michaelangelo  shaping  a  new  style.  The  story  of  these 
few  men  is  the  story  of  Renaissance  building  in  Italy. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-two,  the  sculptor  Ghiberti  had 
won  in  a  contest  with  Brunelleschi  with  his  design  for 
the  bronze  doors  of  the  baptistery.  With  his  friend 
Donatello,  Brunelleschi  then  left  Florence  and  made  his 
way  to  Rome  as  a  goldsmith.  All  his  spare  time  he 
gave  to  studying  the  architecture  of  the  Old  Roman  Em- 
pire, taking  measurements  of  the  finest  buildings  as  stu- 
dents do  still.  When  he  came  back  to  Florence  his  head 
was  full  of  a  scheme  for  completing  the  cathedral  which 
had  been  under  way  for  no  years  and  was  still  unfin- 
ished. 

There  were  many  schemes  in  Florence  of  how  the 
dome  should  be  built  and  in  141 7  the  council,  to  settle 
the  question,  received  many  different  proposals.  One 
suggested  a  central  pillar;  another  that  the  space  under 
the  dome  should  be  -filled  up  with  earth  in  which  gold 
coins  should  be  placed  so  that  after  the  dome  was  com- 
pleted the  poor  would  remove  the  soil  to  get  the  money, 
but  no  one  believed  it  could  be  built  without  support  from 
within.  Brunelleschi  alone  felt  confident,  and  was  given 
the  work,  but  the  commission  also  appointed  Ghiberti,  his 
successful  rival  on  the  doors,  to  be  his  colleague.  Ghi- 
berti was  not  an  architect,  and  was  not  fitted  for  his 
task.     Vasari  tells  us  how  Brunelleschi  got  rid  of  him. 

"  One  morning,"  he  says,   "  Brunelleschi,   instead  of 


i68  Famous  Buildings 

appearing  at  work,  stayed  in  bed,  tied  up  his  head,  and 
calling  for  hot  fomentations,  pretended  to  have  a  severe 
pain  in  his  side.  This  lasted  for  several  days  and,  as 
Ghiberti  did  not  know  how  to  direct  the  work,  it  all 
came  to  a  standstill.  When  the  leading  men  came  to 
his  bedside  he  asked  them  why  they  did  not  ask  Ghiberti. 
*  He  will  do  nothing  without  you,'  they  said.  '  But  I 
could  do  well  enough  without  him,'  said  Brunelleschi. 
However,  Ghiberti  continued  to  draw  his  salary. 

"  Finally,  Brunelleschi  suggested  that,  as  the  salary 
was  divided,  the  work  should  be  also.  He  presented 
himself  to  the  commissioners,  and  told  them  that  there 
were  two  difficult  things  —  the  bridges  upon  which  the 
masons  were  to  stand  and  the  chain  to  bind  together  the 
sides  of  the  cupola.  '  Let  Ghiberti  take  one  and  I  will 
take  the  other.'  This  plan  being  adopted,  Ghiberti  took 
the  chain  which  he  was  unable  to  manage,  and  was  at  last 
removed." 

The  great  dome  at  Florence  was  built  on  newly  ap- 
plied principles.  The  previous  domes,  such  as  that  of 
the  Pantheon,  did  not  give  much  external  effect.  The 
great  dome,  which  Brunelleschi  succeeded  in  erecting, 
far  exceeded  in  grandeur  and  beauty  anything  of  its 
kind  that  had  been  executed  before.  It  is  octagonal  in 
form,  and  painted.  It  springs  from  the  top  of  an  oc- 
tagonal drum  and  there  are  two  separate  shells  of  ma- 
sonry, with  space  between.  Eight  vast  ribs,  and  walls 
of  masonry,  rise  and  converge  towards  the  opening  at 
the  top,  and  between  each  of  the  eight  major  ribs  are 
two  smaller  ribs.  The  dome  is  capf>ed  by  a  lantern  after 
Brunelleschi's    design,  but  it  was  built  after  his  death. 


The  Renaissance  169 

Vasari  says  of  the  Dome:  "Heaven  willed,  after 
the  earth  had  been  for  so  many  years  without  an  excel- 
lent soul  or  a  divine  spirit,  that  Filippo  should  leave 
to  the  world  from  himself,  the  greatest,  the  most  lofty, 
and  the  most  beautiful  construction  of  all  those  made 
in  the  time  of  the  moderns,  and  even  in  that  of  the  an- 
cients." 

Michaelangelo  turning  back  to  gaze  upon  Filippo's 
work,  as  he  rode  away  from  Florence,  declared  that  he 
could  not  do  anything  more  beautiful. 

The  l^eauty  of  the  past  in  Florence  is  like  the  beauty 
of  the  great  Duomo.  Contrast  Ouida's  description  with 
the  isolation  of  Pisa's  pile : 

"  About  the  Duomo  there  is  stir  and  strife  at  all  times; 
crowds  come  and  go;  men  buy  and  sell;  lads  laugh  and 
fight;  piles  of  fruit  blaze  gold  and  crimson;  metal  pails 
clash  down  on  the  stone  with  shrillest  clangor;  on  the 
steps,  boys  play  at  dominoes,  and  women  give  their  chil- 
dren food,  and  merry-makers  join  in  carnival  fooleries; 
but  there  in  the  midst  is  the  Duomo  all  unharmed  and 
undegraded,  a  poem  and  a  prayer  in  one,  its  marbles 
shining  in  the  upper  air,  a  thing  so  majestic  in  its  strength, 
and  yet  so  human  in  its  tenderness,  that  nothing  can 
assail  and  nothing  equal  it." 

In  the  piazza : 

On  the  stone 
Called  Dante's, —  a  plain  flat  stone  scarce  discerned 
From  others  in  the  pavement, —  whereupon 

He  used  to  bring  his  quiet  chair  out,  turned 
To  Brunelleschi's  church,  and  pour  alone 

The  lava  of  his  spirit  when  it  burned: 


lyo  Famous  Buildings 

It  is  not  cold  to-day.     O  passionate 

Poor  Dante,  who,  a  banished  Florentine, 

Didst  sit  austere  at  banquets  of  the  great 
And  muse  on  this  far-off  stone  of  thine, 

And  think  how  oft  a  passer  used  to  wait 
A  moment  in  the  golden  day's  decline, 

With  "good  night,  dearest  Dante"  ... 

STORIES    AND    ANECDOTES. 

Vasari,  in  his  Lives  of  the  Painters,  Sculptors  and 
Architects,  says  of  Brunelleschi,  a  good  friend  who  al- 
ways had  time  to  bestow  help : 

There  are  many  men  who,  though  formed  by  nature  with 
small  persons  and  insignificant  features,  are  yet  endowed  with 
so  much  greatness  of  soul  and  force  of  character,  that  unless 
they  can  occupy  themselves  with  difficult  —  nay,  almost  im- 
possible undertakings,  and  carry  these  enterprises  to  perfection 
to  the  admiration  of  others,  they  are  incapable  of  finding  place 
for  their  lives.  And,  however  mean  or  unpromising  may  be 
the  occasion  presented  to  such  persons,  however  trifling  the 
object  to  be  attained,  they  find  means  to  make  it  important,  and 
to  give  it  elevation. 

Therefore,  it  is  that  none  should  look  with  contemptuous 
glance  upon  those  who  lack  grace  and  beauty,  since  it  is  beyond 
doubt  that  beneath  the  clods  of  earth  the  veins  of  gold- lie 
hidden. 

Hawthorne  says  that  the  interior,  lighted  as  it  is  al- 
most exclusively  by  painted  windows,  seems  to  him  worth 
all  the  variegated  marbles  and  rich  cabinet  work  of  St. 
Peter's. 

We  recall  the  preaching  of  Savonarola  in  the  fifteenth 
century.  In  the  middle  of  the  night  crowds  came  to 
await  the  opening  of  the  cathedral  when  they  might  hear 


The  Renaissance  171 

the  words  of  the  great  preacher  who  was  destined  after- 
wards to  be  burned  alive  nearby. 

And  some  one  has  said  that  even  the  heavens  seemed 
envious  of  the  dome,  for  their  Hghtnings  perpetually 
strike  it. 

PALACES    OF    THE   RENAISSANCE   IN    FLORENCE. 

One  of  the  most  notable  products  of  the  entire  Renais- 
sance was  its  palaces.  They  took  on  a  different  form 
in  the  beautiful  chateaux  of  France,  or  in  the  Louvre, 
than  in  Florence.  But  Florence  produced  some  of  the 
finest  and  most  remarkable  palaces,  as  one  should  ex- 
pect, knowing  it  to  be  the  home-city  of  the  Medici.  And 
since  we  are  still  in  Florence  let  us  see  what  they  are 
like. 

To  begin  with,  in  the  principal  piazza,  or  square,  is 
the  Palazzo  Vecchio.  Now,  as  in  the  old  days,  it  is  the 
city  hall,  whose  tall  tower  with  overhanging  top  is  almost 
as  much  a  part  of  the  landscape  as  the  great  Duomo 
itself. 

Another  famous  building  in  Florence  is  the  Pitti  Palace 
which,  with  the  wonderful  Boboli  Gardens  at  its  back, 
makes  one  of  the  world's  most  sumptuous  palaces.  What 
treasures  it  contains  in  its  masterpieces  of  painting!  It 
is  on  "  the  other  side  of  the  Arno,"  but  is  connected  by 
a  covered  gallery,  which  is  the  top-story  of  that  famous 
bridge,  the  Ponte  Vecchio,"  with  another  great  palace 
across  the  river  Arno,  the  Uffizi  Palace,  also  a  treasure- 
house  of  painting  and  sculpture. 

The  Pitti  is  very  massive,  some  of  its  rough  stones 
being  twenty  feet  long.     It  has  been  called  the  most  fa- 


172  Famous  Buildings 

mous  of  all  modern  palaces.  It  dates  from  Brunelleschi 
himself,  though  he  did  not  finish  it.  The  method  of 
leaving  the  whole  or  most  of  the  outer  face  of  the  big 
blocks  of  stone  just  as  rough  as  when  it  came  out 
of  the  quarry  produced  one  of  the  finest  effects  known 
in  architecture.  In  the  Pitti  the  lower  stones  had  the 
roughest  masonry  which  made  it  look  stronger  than  the 
other  stories.  As  it  had  to  support  the  upper  stories  this 
was  fitting,  and  we  see  the  same  thing  in  very  many  of 
the  great  buildings  of  to-day.  When  you  see  them,  think 
of  Brunelleschi. 

The  Bargello  palace,  whose  beautiful  courtyard  has 
been  painted  by  a  thousand  artists,  is  another  of  Flor- 
ence's gems  of  architecture.  Nearly  all  the  Florentine 
palaces  were  built  around  a  courtyard.  Most  of  these 
palaces  were  built  for  defense  as  well  as  for  residence, 
and  that  is  why  they  are  so  massive.  We  may  still 
see  the  lamps  of  iron,  and  the  rings  where  the  men  of 
old  thrust  their  torches,  or  to  which  they  tied  their  horses. 
To-day  these  examples  of  intricate  iron-work  appear  to 
be  as  good  as  ever. 

As  general  features  of  these  palaces,  we  may  note  the 
rich  cornices  and  the  ever  present  Renaissance  style  of 
doorway  and  of  window.  The  second  story,  higher  and 
grander  than  the  others,  was  called  the  piano  nohile,  or 
noble  story.  In  this  story  were  the  loftiest  and  grandest 
rooms. 

In  looking  at  the  pictures  of  palaces,  consider  in  what 
ways,  and  how,  they  conform  to  the  principles  given 
on  page  11.  Much  of  their  beauty  you  will  find  to  be 
in  the  columns  and  features  borrowed  from  the  old  Ro- 


The  Renaissance  173 

mans,  and  in  the  manner  they  are  distributed  over  the 
facades. 

ANECDOTES  OF  MICHELOZZO  MICHELOZZI. 
(1396-I472) 

Michelozzo  designed  one  of  the  great  palaces  of  the 
Renaissance  in  Florence,  now  called  the  Ricardi,  and 
Cosimo  de  Medici  caused  it  to  be  erected.  An  early  ac- 
count of  this  palace  says  it  was  the  first  to  1:>e  erected 
according  to  modern  rules.  A  description  of  the  same 
time  says  that,  in  the  first  or  ground  floor,  are  two  court- 
yards with  magnificent  colonnades,  on  which  open  va- 
rious salons,  bed-chambers,  ante-rooms,  writing-rooms, 
offices,  baths,  kitchens,  all  most  commodiously  arrayed. 

In  the  year  1433,  when  Cosimo  was  exiled,  Michelozzo, 
who  loved  him  greatly,  voluntarily  accompanied  him  to 
Venice,  and,  when  Cosimo  was  recalled  by  his  country, 
he  returned  in  triumph,  and  Michelozzo  with  him. 

It  was  of  this  great  architect  that  Vasari  wrote :  "If  all 
who  inhabited  this  world  would  consider  that  they  may 
have  to  live  longer  than  they  can  work,  there* would  not  be 
so  many  who  are  reduced  to  beg  in  old  age,  that  which 
they  have  squandered  in  youth.  Thus  they  will  do  what 
Michelozzo  did,  and  not  be  compelled  in  their  last  years 
to  go  about  miserably  seeking  the  means  of  existence." 

ST.  Peter's,  rome. 

It  has  been  said  that  St.  Peter's  shows  how  men  build 
their  best,  and  how  they  build  otherwise  than  they  intend. 
The  great  pile  occupied  two  long  centuries  of  labor  be- 


^ 


PO 


The  Renaissance  175 

fore  it  was  finished,  if,  indeed,  it  can  ever  be  said  to  have 
been  finished. 

Under  Alberti  and  RosselHno  there  was  a  beginning 
period  of  early  promise.  The  general  design  of  the  build- 
ing as  it  appears  to-day  may  be  said  to  be  that  of 
Bramante,  although  it  was  altered  much  by  Michaelan- 
gelo,  who  designed  the  dome  and  brought  the  structure  to 
all  the  magnificence  of  which  the  style  was  capable.  In 
other  words  Bramante  conceived  the  idea  of  the  struc- 
ture which  was  to  be  the  greatest  church  in  Christen- 
dom, but  Michaelangelo  chose  and  designed  the  form 
in  which  the  idea  was  carried  out.  He  made  the  details 
of  the  plan  for  the  outside  and  inside  orders,  and  the 
dome.  The  first  serious  departure  from  these  great  ar- 
tists' ideas  was  due  to  Maderno,  who  is  responsible  for 
the  facade.  To  Bernini  is  due  the  noble  approach  of 
columns. 

Bramante  began  to  build  in  1506.  His  design  was  a 
Greek  cross  with  aspidal  arms,  the  four  angles  occupied 
by  domed  chapels.  Too  hasty  construction  led  to  the 
collapse  of  some  of  the  arches  and  to  long  delay  in  con- 
struction after  his  death. 

Figure  jy  presents  an  outline  detail  of  a  part  of  the 
dome  of  St.  Peter's.  The  part  marked  A  is  the  attic 
story  of  the  church.  The  part  marked  B  is  the  attic  of 
the  dome.  Notice  the  columns  and  their  capitals,  and 
their  arrangement,  and  the  pilaster  of  the  attic  story  of 
the  church,  and  the  windows  and  balustrade. 

One  fault  that  has  been  found  with  St.  Peter's  is  the 
fact  that  the  front  extends  so  far  forward  that  the  effect 
of  the  beautiful  dome  is  largely  lost.     In   fact  if  one 


176 


Famous  Buildings 


stands  at  a  point  where  one  might  feel  he  ought  to  get 
the  full  effect  of  the  mighty  pile,  the  dome  is  nearly 
hidden.  In  the  picture  on  page  174  you  get  very  little  de- 
tail, but  you  can  probably  decide  to  what  orders  the  col- 
umns and  pilas- 
ters belong.  Count 
those  upon  the 
fagade  and  notice 
their  arrangement. 
Notice  the  many 
statues  that  adorn 
the  colonnade  and 
the  top  of  the 
fagade.  One  of  the 
finest  views  of  St. 
Peter's  is  from  the 
Pincian  Hill,  one 
of  the  seven  hills  of  Rome.  This  hill  is  now  a  fa- 
vorite promenade  of  Romans  and  tourists  alike.  St. 
Peter's,  seen  from  this  distance,  dominates  the  whole 
landscape,  and  as  the  sunset  sky  of  afternoon  illumines 
it,  the  sight  is  one  never  to  be  forgotten.  The  exj^ense 
of  the  main  building  is  estimated  at  fifty  million  dollars, 
and  the  annual  repairs  at  over  thirty  thousand. 

In  the  building,  stones  from  other  churches  w^ere  very 
largely  used  and  great  damage  was  thus  done.  The 
south  wall  rests  upon  blocks  of  stone  upon  which  once 
a  tier  of  seats  of  Nero's  circus  was  built  from  which  the 
proud  citizens  of  Rome  witnessed  the  struggles  with 
lions  of  defenseless  men,  women,  and  children  whose 
only   crime   was  that   they   were   Christians.     It   takes 


Fig.  TJ.  Attic  of  St.  Peter's,  Rome.  A, 
attic  of  the  main  edifice;  B,  attic  of  the 
dome. 


The  Renaissance  177 

5a,ooo  people  to  make  a  crowd  in  the  church,  and  more 
than  80,000  sometimes  attend  service  there  at  one  time. 
Between  the  summit  of  the  fagade  and  the  drum  of  the 
dome  one  may  see  a  httle  hamlet  with  workshops,  huts, 
sheds,  a  forge,  and  ovens.  Several  families  find  a  home 
on  the  roof  of  St.  Peter's  and  succeed  each  other  from 
father  to  son. 

Mendelssohn  says:  "It  surpasses  all  powers  of  de- 
scription. It  appears  to  me  like  some  great  work  of  na- 
ture, a  forest,  a  mass  of  rocks,  or  something  similar;  for 
I  never  can  realize  the  idea  that  it  is  the  work  of  man." 
And  Byron  says  of  the  interior : 

Enter :  its  grandeur  overwhelms  thee  not ; 

And  why?     It  is  not  lessened:  but  thy  mind. 

Expanded  by  the  genius  of  the  spot, 

Has  grown  colossal  and  can  only  find 

A  fit  abode  wherein  appear  enshrined 

Thy  hopes  of  immortality;  and  thou 

Shalt  one  day  if  found  worthy,  so  defined, 

See  thy  God  face  to  face,  as  thou  dost  now, 

His  Holy  of  Holies,  nor  be  blasted  by  his  brow. 

At  the  right  of  the  picture  we  see  the  top  of  a  long, 
irregular  building.  This  is  part  of  the  palace  of  the 
Vatican  attached  to  the  great  church.  It  is  one  of  the 
world's  great  treasure-houses  of  art.  Pliny  says  that  an 
oak  stood  in  the  Vatican  region  which  had  been  wor- 
shiped from  time  immemorial.  Thus  the  name  now  ap- 
plied to  the  Papal  Palace  was  once  applied  to  the  whole 
district  between  the  foot  of  the  hill  and  the  Tiber.  On 
the  return  of  the  popes  from  Avignon  in  1377,  the  Vati- 
can became  the  official  residence,  and  the  first  conclave 


178  Famous  Buildings 

was  held  there  in  that  year.  On  January  23rd  of  that 
year,  five  large  wolves  were  killed  in  the  Vatican  gar- 
dens. Nicholas  V  formed  the  idea  of  making  it  the 
most  magnificent  palace  in  the  world,  but  he  died  before 
he  could  carry  out  his  design. 

It  is  now  the  largest  palace  in  the  world,  its  length 
being  1151  feet  and  its  breadth  767  feet.  It  has  eight 
grand  staircases,  twenty  courts,  and  11,000  rooms  of  dif- 
ferent sizes. 

Its  collection  of  sculpture  is  the  largest  in  the  world, 
its  picture-gallery,  though  not  extensive,  is  one  of  the 
most  precious,  and  its  library  is  of  untold  value.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  picture-gallery,  the  wonderful  frescoes  of 
Michaelangelo  in  the  Sistine  Chapel,  and  the  works  of 
Raphael  would  alone  make  it  a  great  mecca  of  art.  The 
small  portion  of  the  Vatican  inhabited  by  the  pope  is 
only  seen  by  those  who  are  admitted  to  a  special  audi- 
ence. The  rooms  occupied  by  the  pontiff  are  furnished 
with  great  simplicity. 

ANECDOTES    OF    LEONE    BATTISTA    ALBERTI    (1404-I472). 

Alberti  was  a  gentleman  of  many  accomplishments. 
He  could  ride  an  unbroken  horse,  jump  his  own  height, 
and  throw  an  apple  over  the  Duomo  of  Florence;  but 
he  was  also  a  scholar,  a  writer,  indeed  a  man  of  universal 
sympathies. 

He  is  better  known  for  his  writings  than  from  the 
practice  of  his  art.  Before  he  was  twenty,  he  had  writ- 
ten a  comedy  in  Latin;  and  his  books  on  architecture, 
perspective,  and  painting  had  so  much  influence  on  others 


The  Renaissance  179 

that  many  supposed  him  a  greater  architect  than  those 
who  really  surpassed  him. 

Vasari  says  of  this :  "  We  are  thus  taught  by  ex- 
perience that  in  so  far  as  regards  name  and  fame,  the 
written  word  is  that  which  of  all  things  has  the  most 
effectual  force,  the  most  vivid  life,  and  the  longest  dura- 
tion." 

ANECDOTES  OF   BRAMANTE  DA   URBINO    (1444-I514) 

This  great  master  was  born  in  Urbino  about  1444,  his 
parents  being  very  poor.  In  his  childhood  he  was  taught 
to  read  and  write,  and  was  early  devoted  to  drawing 
and  the  art  of  painting.  Arithmetic  became  his  favorite 
study. 

He  soon  developed  a  love  for  architectural  study  and 
perspective,  and,  in  order  to  learn  more  he  departed  to 
Lombardy,  going  from  one  city  to  another  and  working 
as  best  he  could.  He  reached  Milan  where  he  gave  much 
time  to  the  study  of  the  great  Gothic  cathedral  there. 
From  there  he  went  to  Rome.  He  had  some  money 
with  him,  and  it  was  his  desire  to  spend  it  very  slowly, 
that  he  might  have  leisure  to  make  accurate  measurements 
of  the  ancient  buildings.  In  solitude  and  deep  thought 
he  carried  this  out  to  completion,  measuring  all  the  build- 
ings of  antiquity  situated  in  Rome  and  all  the  surround- 
ing country,  going  as  far  as  Naples  in  his  quest. 

Here  he  became  known  to  the  cardinal  of  Naples,  who 
began  to  favor  his  progress.  For  the  cardinal  he  built 
a  cloister,  which  was  the  beginning  of  his  reputation  and 
success.     As  we  see  in  most  lives,  the  hard  thing  was 


l8o  Famous  Buildings 

to  get  a  start.  Upon  this  beginning  other  commissions 
followed,  and  Bramante  was  invited  to  consult  with 
eminent  architects  regarding  the  building  of  a  new  pal- 
ace. All  his  works  proving  successful,  he  soon  had  much 
credit  in  Rome,  and  distinguished  personages  employed 
him  in  important  undertakings. 

He  did  much  at  Bologna  also,  making  ground  plans 
for  numerous  edifices,  which  were  very  fine  in  propor- 
tion. He  imparted  instruction  in  the  rules  of  architec- 
ture to  Raphael,  who  afterwards  painted  his  portrait 
into  one  of  his  famous  works,  "  The  School  of  Athens." 

But  his  greatest  work  was  on  St.  Peter's.  He  laid 
the  foundations  of  this  stupendous  church,  and  continued 
his  labors  upon  it  until  his  own  death.  He  raised  the 
building  to  the  height  of  the  cornice,  but  after  his  death 
the  plans  were  much  altered  by  Raphael  and  Antonio  san 
Gallo,  and  afterwards  by  Michaelangelo.  Michaelangelo 
himself  remarked  that  he  was  only  executing  Bramante's 
design,  and  that  it  was  the  master  who  founded  a  great 
edifice  who  ought  to  be  regarded  as  its  author. 

Vasari  says- that  Bramante  was  a  person  of  most  cheer- 
ful and  amiable  disposition,  delighting  to  do  everything 
whereby  he  could  bring  benefit  to  his  neighbor.  He  de- 
lighted greatly  in  poetry  and  music,  practising  upon  the 
lyre  and  occasionally  composing  a  poem.  The  event  of 
his  death  in  the  year  15 14  at  the  age  of  70  years  caused 
the  erection  of  St.  Peter's  to  be  suspended  for  several 
years.  He  was  entombed  in  St.  Peter's.  His  death  was 
a  loss  to  architecture  for  his  investigations  led  to  the  dis- 
covery of  many  useful  inventions  that  enriched  the  art. 
He  was   to   the  second   part  of  the   Renaissance   what 


The  Renaissance  181 

Brunelleschi  had  been  to  the  first  and  he  rendered  the 
road  to  the  true  science  of  architecture  much  easier  to  all 
who  came  after  him. 

ANECDOTES    OF    MICHAELANGELO    (1474-I564). 

Michaelangelo  was  undoubtedly  the  greatest  of  all  ar- 
tists. Not  only  as  a  painter,  but  as  a  poet,  a  sculptor, 
and  an  architectect  he  was  able  to  carry  all  before  him. 
His  brain  was  full  of  ideas  —  more  and  greater  than  he 
could  carry  out.  His  Hfe  was  one  of  sorrow,  and  al- 
though rich,  he  did  not  care  for  luxury  —  his  mind  was 
too  great  and  too  earnest  to  be  taken  up  with  small  gratifi- 
cations. He  knew  that  pleasure  was  not  worth  the  time 
it  took. 

In  the  year  1546  it  chanced  that  Antonio  da  San  Gallo 
died  ;  a  director  for  the  fabric  of  St.  Peter's  was  required, 
and  there  were  various  opinions  as  to  who  should  be  en- 
trusted with  the  office.  Being  asked  if  he  would  under- 
take the  work,  the  master  replied  that  he  would  not, 
architecture  not  being  his  vocation;  but  when  entreaties 
were  found  useless,  the  pope  commanded  him  to  accept 
the  trust,  and,  to  his  infinite  regret,  he  was  compelled  to 
obey. 

Of  the  work  already  done,  he  would  often  publicly 
declare  that  the  building  was  left  without  light,  and  that 
too  many  ranges  of  columns,  one  above  the  other,  had 
been  heaped  upon  the  outside;  adding  that,  with  its  in- 
numerable projections,  pinnacles,  and  divisions  of  mem- 
bers, it  was  more  like  a  work  of  giants  than  of  the  good 
antique  manner,  or  of  the  cheerful  and  beautiful  modern 
style.     He  made  a  model  to  prove  the  truth  of  his  words, 


\82  Famous  Buildings 

and  this  was  of  the  form  wherein  we  now  see  the  work 
to  have  been  conducted.  Much,  that  was  true  at  the  time 
Vasari  wrote,  was  afterwards  changed,  but  where  Mich- 
aelangelo  made  changes,  he  took  care  to  have  all  con- 
structed with  great  exactitude,  adding  a  degree  of  strength 
which  would  leave  no  pretext  for  another  to  change  his 
plans. 

He  executed  many  other  buildings,  and  the  capitol  at 
Rome,  as  it  stands  to-day,  is  mainly  from  his  plans,  al- 
though executed  after  his  death. 

For  his  work  upon  St.  Peter's  he  accepted  no  compensa- 
tion. 

Like  most  of  the  architects  of  the  time,  Michaelangelo 
was  painter  and  sculptor  as  well.  St.  Peter's  contains 
one  of  his  greatest  works  of  sculpture,  the  Pieta,  and 
his  triumph  in  painting,  the  Last  Judgment,  and  the 
ceiling  of  the  Sistine  Chapel,  in  the  palace  of  the  Vatican 
nearby.  Michaelangelo's  was  the  master  mind  that  over- 
topped all  others,  even  in  the  great  age  in  which  he  lived. 
He  lived  to  see  all  his  rivals  die  and  to  find  himself  ac- 
knowledged the  greatest  of  all.  At  the  last  he  also  found 
himself  beloved,  and  his  old  age  was  happier  than  his 
earlier  lifetime. 

ANECDOTES    OF   RAPHAEL    (1483-I520). 

Raphael  Sanzio  is  seldom  thought  of  as  an  architect, 
and  yet  for  a  time  he  was  the  director  of  the  architecture 
of  St.  Peter's.  Besides  this  work,  which  was  not  as  im- 
portant as  that  of  the  other  masters  who  contributed  to 
St.  Peter's,  he  built  a  few  notable  buildings.  His  great 
fame  rests  on  his  work  as  a  painter.     At  one  time  he 


The  Renaissance 


183 


lived  near  the  Vatican,  where  he  was  surrounded  by 
his  hosts  of  friends.  His  disposition  to  help  others  may 
account  for  his  popularity.  In  the  very  prime  of  man- 
hood, the  possessor  of  fame,  wealth,  and  power,  he  was 
suddenly  seized  by  a  fever  and  died  within  a  few  days. 
His  resting  place  is  the  Pantheon  at  Rome. 

THE  doges'    palace. 

"  The  Ducal  Palace,  the  great  work  of  Venice,  was 
brilt  successively  in  three  styles."     First,   there  was  a 


Fig.  78.     Interior  court  of  the  Doges'  palace,  Venice. 

Byzantine,  then  a  Gothic,  and  then  in  part,  a  Renaissance 
palace.  The  present  building  is  a  combination  of  the 
last  two  style's.  The  earlier  building  which  began  with 
the  beginning  of  Venice  is  nearly  or  quite  destroyed  by 
fire  and  time. 


184  Famous  Buildings 

In  the  first  year  of  the  fourteenth  century,  the  Gothic 
Ducal  palace  was  begun.  "  It  is  the  Parthenon  of 
Venice,"  says  Ruskin.  One  hundred  and  twenty-three 
years  afterwards  the  first  Grand  Council  sat  in  the  fin- 
ished Gothic  building. 

From  that  time  on  Renaissance  features  began  to  ap- 
pear and  the  portion  where  that  style  reigns  was  finished 
about  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century  (1550).  A 
fire  partly  destroyed  the  building  in  1574,  and  the  ex- 
tensive changes  which  were  then  made  left  the  building 
in  its  present  form.  As  it  now  stands  the  facade  seen 
from  St.  Mark's  Square,  and  standing  as  next  neighbor 
to  the  Cathedral  of  St.  Mark's,  is  Gothic  or  Venetian 
Gothic.  But  the  interior  court,  which  is  of  a  much  later 
date,  is  Renaissance  or  semi-Renaissance,  although  there 
are  some  pointed  arches  and  Gothic  features  left  from  the 
earlier  building. 

Notice  the  giants'  stairway,  so-called  from  the  figures 
at  the  top.  These  figures  were  colossal  statues  of  Nep- 
tune and  Mars  typifying  the  strength  of  Venice  by  sea 
and  in  war.  Over  the  arch  at  the  top  of  the  staircase 
is  the  Lion  of  St.  Mark.  On  the  top  stairs  the  doges, 
or  rulers  of  Venice,  were  crowned.  In  the  court  are 
two  beautiful  well-curbs,  which  should  be  noted,  because 
they  are  a  typical  feature  of  the  courtyards  and  squares 
of  Venice.  Connecting  the  palace  with  its  prison  is  the 
well-known  Bridge  of  Sighs,  celebrated  in  Byron's  verses. 
It  was  built  in  1590,  and  the  dark  dungeons  to  which  it 
leads  speak  of  the  inhuman  punishments  of  those  and 
earlier  times. 

One  thing  which  makes  the  Doges'  Palace  one  of  the 


The  Renaissance  185 

few  famous  buildings  of  the  world  is  its  contents,  es- 
pecially the  famous  paintings  of  Tintoretto,  Paolo  Ve- 
ronese, Titian,  and  others.  We  should  remember  that 
these  were  executed  an  age  later  than  the  building  itself. 

You  will  note  the  elaborateness  of  everything,  the  rich- 
ness of  the  materials,  and  the  wonderful  carvings.  When 
you  visit  it,  with  your  guide-book  in  hand,  you  will  learn 
what  a  wealth  of  allusion  is  contained  in  the  sculptures 
alone.  Some  of  these  represent  local  stories  and  tradi- 
tions, but  many  refer  to  the  Greek  gods  and  goddesses. 
One  might  expect  this  from  the  fact  that  the  whole  move- 
ment, called  the  Renaissance,  began  in  a  study  of  the 
classical  forms  of  art. 

One  singularity  of  the  Doges'  Palace  is,  that  its  front 
is  built  of  marble  of  various  colors  arranged  to  produce 
a  pattern.  The  best  colors  for  a  building  are  those  of 
natural  stone.  Ruskin  says  that  the  front  of  the  Doges' 
Palace  at  Venice  is  the  purest  and  most  chaste  model  of 
the  fit  application  of  color  to  a  public  building.  The 
sculpture  and  moldings  are  all  white;  but  the  wall  sur- 
face is  checkered  with  marble  blocks  of  pale  rose,  the 
checkers  being  in  no  wise  fitted  to  the  forms  of  the  win- 
dows, but  looking  as  if  the  wall  had  been  completed  first, 
and  the  windows  cut  out  of  it. 

Ruskin  also  gives  another  bit  of  good  description  of 
the  Doges'  Palace : 

"  Sometimes  when  walking  at  evening  on  the  Lido, 
whence  the  great  chain  of  Alps,  crested  with  silver  clouds, 
might  be  seen  rising  above  the  front  of  the  Ducal  Palace, 
I  used  to  feel  as  much  awe  in  gazing  on  the  building  as 
upon  the  hills,  and  could  believe  that  God  had  done  a 


i86 


Famous  Buildings 


greater  work  in  breathing  into  the  narrowness  of  dust 
the  mighty  spirits  by  whom  its  haughty  walls  had  been 
raised,  and  its  burning  legends  written,  than  in  lifting 
the  rocks  of  granite  higher  than  the  clouds  of  heaven, 
and  veiling  them  with  their  various  mantle  of  purple 
flower  and  shadowy  pine." 

Theophile  Gautier  says :  "  Think  how  much  the  sea 
and  sky  have  to  do  with  the  charm  of  the  great  buildings 
of  Venice.     Take  away  the  red  sails  of  the  fishing  boats 

and  the  gliding 
gondolas,  and  the 
building  itself 
would  have  been 
less  wonderful. 

"  The  Grand 
Canal  of  Venice  is 
one  of  the  most 
marvelous  things 
in  the  world.  No 
other  city  can  pre- 
sent so  beautiful, 
so  bizarre,  and  so 
fairy-like  a  specta- 
cle ;  perhaps  you 
may  find  else- 
\\here  remarkable 
specimens  of  ar- 
chitecture, but 
never     placed     in 


Church  of  Santa  Maria  della 
Salute,  Venice,   1632. 


such  picturesque  conditions. 
"  Each  stone  of  the  walls 


has  a  story  to  tell ;  each 


The  Renaissance  187 

house  is  a  palace;  each  palace  a  masterpiece  with  a 
legend.  It  is  an  immense  gallery  in  the  open  air,  where 
one  can  study,  from  his  gondola,  the  art  of  seven  or 
eight  centuries.  What  genius,  talent,  and  money  have 
been  expended  in  this  space  that  can  be  traversed  in  less 
than  an  hour ! " 

Before  leaving  Venice  we  may  take  a  look  at  the 
Church  of  Sta.  Maria  della  Salute,  which  is  in  sight 
across  the  Canal  from  the  Doges'  Palace.  This  church 
was  built  in  1632,  and  is  of  the  period  of  the  Baroque 
churches,  or  even  later,  but  it  is  a  majestic  edifice  in 
very  excellent  style,  and  is  one  of  the  most  picturesque, 
as  well  as  one  of  the  most  famous  of  buildings. 

ANECDOTES   OF    PALLADIO    (1518-I580). 

Palladio  was  the  son  of  a  carpenter  in  the  employ 
of  Frissino,  a  scholar  and  poet.  Frissino  adopted  the 
carpenter's  son,  gave  him  the  name  of  Palladio  (from 
Pallas,  Goddess  of  Wisdom),  and  educated  him  as  an 
architect. 

Palladio  became  one  of  the  celebrated  architects  of 
the  Renaissance.  He  designed  palaces  and  many  other 
buildings  in  his  native  home  of  Vincenza.  In  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Venice,  where  he  died,  are  many  edifices 
that  he  built.  He  was  so  highly  esteemed  that  his  style 
became  known  as  Palladian,  and  was  long  considered 
the  most  perfect. 

Palladio  is  often  called  the  last  great  architect  of 
the  Renaissance.  His  writings  were  considered  the 
most  authoritative  on  the  principles  of  classic  architec- 
ture throughout  Europe,  and  his  buildings  were  models 


i88 


Famous  Buildings 


of  beauty  during  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  cen- 
turies and  even  up  to  this  day.  His  buildings  are  de- 
scribed as  cold  and  unim- 
aginative, but  correct  and 
elegant.  Figure  80  is  a 
theater  in  Palladio's  native 
town  of  Vincenza. 

OTHER    RENAISSANCE    BUILD- 
INGS  ON   THE    CONTINENT. 

In  giving  the  most  rudi- 
mentary and  general  idea  of 
the  nature  of  the  Renais- 
sance style,  we  have  done 
about  all  that  these  limited 
pages  will  allow.  Germany 
had  her  great  town-halls, 
Fig.  80.  Palladian  archit^tui^.  palaces  and  castles  in  the 
Teatro  OHmpico,  Vincenza,  Italy,   gtyle,  and  Spain  developed  a 

very  beautiful  Renaissance.  All  over  the  European 
world,  the  movement  for  classical  art  had  a  new-birth,  and 
it  was  a  period  of  extensive  building  nearly  everywhere. 

In  France  the  Renaissance  was  slower  to  take  root, 
because  the  Gothic  was  so  much  beloved  by  the  French ; 
and  when  it  did  come,  it  was  mingled  with  the  Gothic 
for  a  long  time.  But  there  are  many  wonderful  and 
famous  buildings  of  the  Renaissance  style  in  France, 
such  as  the  famous  chateau-like  Chambord,  the  exten- 
sive palace  of  Fontainebleau,  and  the  immense  edifice 
of  Versailles  near  Paris,  which  every  one  visits.  One 
of    these    great    monuments    of    France,    however,    the 


The  Renaissance 


189 


Louvre,  was  the  finest  and,  although  we  have  not  the 
space  to  describe  it  in  any  detail,  we  must  do  a  little  more 
than  to  mention  it. 


THE    LOUVRE. 

The  Louvre  introduces  us  at  once  into  the  world  of 
the  Renaissance  in  the  North.  We  have  seen  some- 
thing about  how  this  great  movement  began  in  Italy. 
There  it  was  a  natural  growth  out  of  the  conditions  of 

the  time,  but  in 
France  it  has  been 
called  a  fashion, 
and  so  it  was.  Re- 
naissance architec- 
ture presents  many 
variations  in  differ- 
ent countries,  and 
there  is  a  saying 
that  each  country, 
or  people,  works 
out  its  own  Renais- 


I'ig.  81.  Detail  from  the  Palace  of  the 
Louvre,  Paris,  showing  Vermicular  ma- 
sonry. 


sance.     There  is  also  a  saying  that  the  Renaissance  has 
never  stopped  and  is  still  going  on  in  the  world. 

The  Louvre  is  the  noblest  monument  of  the  French 
Renaissance.  Compared  with  the  fortress-like  palaces 
in  Florence,  the  Louvre  looks  light  and  graceful,  and 
yet  there  are  many  things  to  remind  us  that  it  was  a 
development  from  the  fortress  type,  or  castle.  The 
entrances  open  into  protected  court-yards,  and  could  be 
shut  by  great  doors,  and  there  are  also  the  barred  win- 
dows of  the  lowest  story.     These  are  all  reminiscences 


IQO 


Famous  Buildings 


of  the  times  when  palaces  were  castles  for  defense  as 
well  as  residence.  The  earliest  Louvre  had  its  keep  or 
dungeon.  Indeed  the  building  grew  from  a  fortress 
which  Philippe  Auguste  erected  on  the  same  site  in  I2(X). 
The  vast  size  of  the  Louvre  prevents  its  being  shown 
in  any  one  picture.  There  are  many  different  build- 
ings, in  fact,  connected  and  made  harmonious,  and  much 


Fig.  82.     Perrault's  Colonnade  of  the  Louvre. 

that  is  best  in  three  centuries  of  architectural  design  is 
represented.  There  are  many  variations  in  the  differ- 
ent fagades  or  pavilions,  as  they  arc  called.  One  of 
the  most  beautiful  is  that  designed  by  Claude  Perrault 
for  Louis  XIV — 1665—70,  adorned  with  twenty- 
eight  Corinthian  pillars.  A  detail  of  the  masonry  is 
shown  m  Figure  81.     This  is  made  to  appear  thickly 


The  Renaissance 


191 


indented  with  worm-tracks  and  is  called  Vermicular. 
The  interior  with  its  vast  collection  of  art  treasures,  of 
more  than  twenty  centuries,  is  its  crowning  glory.  Illus- 
trations of  single  schools  may  be  surpassed  elsewhere, 
but  this  is  unrivaled  as  a  balanced  collection  of  ancient 
and  modern  art,  of  several  nations,  brought  together 
for  comparison  and  study. 

The  halls  are  almost  as  remarkable  as  the  many  paint- 
ings they  contain,  especially  the  four  largest.  First  of 
all  is  the  grand  gallery,  a  quarter  of  an  English  mile 

in  length,  with  an 
oaken  floor,  a  mar- 
ble base,  a  round- 
arched  ceiling,  partly 
glazed,  and  grouped 
columns.  The  main 
surface  of  the  walls 
is  completely  cov- 
ered with  Italian, 
Spanish,  Flemish, 
shows    the    so-called 


I'K-  83.     Coved  ceiling.  Louvre,   Paris. 


and    otlier    pictures.     Figure    83 
coved  ceiling  of  one  of  the  galleries. 

The  Galerie  d'Apollon,  begim  by  Charles  IX,  was 
burned  in  1661,  rebuilt  and  repaired  at  different  times, 
and  finally  completed  in  1851,  is  184  feet  in  length  and 
28  feet  wide.  The  paneled  walls  are  richly  gilt  and 
furnished  with  large  portraits  done  in  Gobelin  tapestry. 
The  ceiling  is  elaborate  and  splendid.  Here  the  many 
works  in  crystals,  metals,  enamels,  and  jewels,  are  ar- 
ranged in  cases.  A  visit  to  the  Louvre  is  one  of  the 
chief  pleasures  of  Paris. 


192  Famous  Buildings 

SOME    NOTED    ARCHITECTS    OF    FRANCE. 

Claude  Perrault,  who  built  the  eastern  side  of  the 
great  court  of  the  Louvre,  having  for  its  face  the  fa- 
mous colonnade  completed  in  1674,  was  both  a  phy- 
sician and  an  architect.  The  facade  towards  the  river 
was  also  built  by  him,  although  not  roofed  until  a  hun- 
dred years  later. 

Jacques  de  Gabriel  was  the  son  of  an  architect  and 
assisted  his  father  in  many  undertakings.  Upon  the 
death  of  his  father  in  1742,  and  at  the  age  of  44,  he 
became  the  chief  architect  of  Louis  XV.  Every  visitor 
to  Paris  sees  much  of  his  work,  for  he  designed  the 
Place  de  la  Concorde,  which  du  Maurier  called  the  Ely- 
sian  Fields,  and  the  colonnades  of  the  Rue  Royale.  He 
also  rebuilt  the  Central  Pavilion  at  Versailles,  and  built 
the  famous  Petit  Trianon  there.  In  1755  he  was  en- 
trusted with  the  restoration  of  the  Louvre. 

Charles  Gamier,  born  in  1825,  was  a  famous  French 
architect.  He  traveled  extensively  in  Greece,  Turkey, 
and  other  Mediterranean  countries,  returning  to  Paris 
at  the  age  of  thirty.  He  won  the  competition  for  the 
famous  Paris  Opera  House,  and  finished  the  fagade  in 
1867  and  the  interior  in  1875.  Another  famous  work 
of  his  is  the  Casino  at  Monte  Carlo,  Italy.  He  pub- 
lished many  books. 

Eugene  Viollct-le-Duc,  bom  at  Paris  in  18 14,  was 
both  an  archaeologist  and  an  architect.  At  the  sugges- 
tion of  his  father,  who  was  employed  in  the  conserva- 
tion of  public  buildings,  he  made  a  journey  through 
France  and  Italy  studying  and  sketching  the  monuments. 


The  Renaissance  193 

He  was  engaged  in  restoring  important  buildings,  no> 
tably  the  Sainte  Chappelle  in  Paris  and  the  Cathedral  ot 
Notre  Dame.  He  it  was  who  designed  the  central  spire 
and  the  great  altar.  In  1863  he  was  appointed  pro- 
fessor of  esthetics  at  the  ficole  des  Beaux  Arts,  still 
the  most  famous  institution  of  fine  arts  in  Paris.  His 
lectures  were  not  according  to  the  ideas  taught  at  the 
school,  and  the  students  refused  to  listen  to  him.  He 
resigned  his  position  but  published  his  lectures.  His 
fame  as  a  writer  is  almost  as  great  as  his  fame  as  an 
architect. 

RENAISSANCE  ARCHITECTURE  IN  ENGLAND 

During  the  sixteenth  century  most  of  the  building  in 
England  was  of  great  country  houses  for  the  aristoc- 
racy. A  form  grew  up,  which  was  more  Gothic  than 
Renaissance,  and  it  was  called  Tudor,  The  big  houses 
and  universities  in  this  style  are  very  handsome,  and 
seem  to  suit  the  country  where  they  are  built.  Two 
very  famous  buildings  of  this  time  are  Hampton  Court 
near  London,  and  Haddon  Hall  in  Derbyshire,  the 
scene  of  Dorothy  Vernon's  romance.  There  are  no  more 
interesting  buildings  of  their  kind  in  the  world. 

Under  Queen  Elizabeth  foreign  architects  were  em- 
ployed and  much  building  was  done.  Gradually  the 
classic  forms  began  to  supplant  the  Gothic,  and,  under 
Inigo  Jones  (1572-1652),  a  number  of  large  and  digni- 
fied edifices  arose,  such  as  the  palace  of  Whitehall. 

Sir  Christopher  Wren,  the  designer  of  St.  Paul's  ca- 
thedral in  London,  did  the  most  notable  work  in  Eng- 
lish Renaissance. 


194 


Famous  Buildings 


ST.    PAULS,    LONDON. 

The  largest  and  most  modern  of  the  English  cathe- 
drals, was  erected  under  the  supervision  of  one  architect, 
one  master-mason,  and  one  bishop,  who  lived  to  see 
it  built,  between  1675  and  1710.  Sir  Christopher  Wren 
laid  the   foundation  of  the  existing  building  June   21, 


Fig.  84.     St.  Paul's  Cathedral,  London. 

1675.  It  is  built  on  the  site  of  a  former  structure,  one 
of  the  grandest  of  medieval  churches,  which  was  burned 
in  the  great  fire  in  1666. 

Wren's  trials  were  various  and  greaty  and  in  some 
things  he  erred,  yet  he  proved  to  be,  as  a  man  and  an 
architect,  one  of  the  noblest  produced  by  his  country, 
and  his  triumph  after  long  struggles  was  such  as  few 
men  secure. 


The  Renaissance  195 

The  position  of  St.  Paul's  is  noble  and  appropriate, 
and  has  sufficient  elevation  to  give  due  prominence  tc 
the  chief  church  of  a  mighty  city,  from  the  very  heart 
of  which  the  vast  form  arises  amid  the  people  in  their 
daily  life.     It  is  the  great  landmark  of  London. 

The  exterior,  the  first  thing  to  strike  the  eye  of  the 
traveler  as  he  approaches  from  a  distance,  shows, 
throughout,  two  orders  in  two  lofty  stories,  two  high 
western  towers  or  cupolas,  and  the  immense  mass  of 
the  dome,  the  drum  of  which  is  girdled  by  a  colonnade, 

St.  Paul's  is  built  in  the  form  of  a  cross  and  bears  a 
strong  resemblance  to  St.  Peter's  at  Rome.  Its  length 
from  west  to  east  is  five  hundred  feet.  The  exterior 
is  of  two  orders,  the  lower  story  Corinthian,  and  the 
upper  story  Composite.  The  lower  story  front,  with 
its  long  and  wide  flight  of  steps,  is  very  impressive  as 
we  come  down  the  crowded  Strand  on  the  top  of  a  'bus. 
We  notice  the  columns  of  the  porch,  while  at  right  and 
left  the  wall  is  broken  by  pilasters  and  blind  windows 
of  the  Renaissance  pattern,  but  not  very  much  orna- 
mented. The  second  story  presents  similar  features, 
but  notice  the  central  part  surmounted  by  a  pediment, 
the  gable  filled  with  sculpture.  The  dome  is  the  crown- 
ing feature.  Compare  it  with  St.  Peter's  and  the  one 
at  Florence.  The  height  of  the  dome  of  the  Pantheon 
is  the  same  as  its  diameter,  that  of  St.  Peter's  is  twice 
its  diameter,  that  of  St.  Paul's  one  and  a  half  times  its 
diameter. 

The  interior  shows  the  effect  of  space  —  of  strong 
masses,  and  of  broad  plain  surfaces  divided  by  elaborate 
architectural    ornament.     The    interior    coloring    is    a 


196  Famous  Buildings 

whitish  gray,  relieved  by  lavish  gilding  on  rich  raised 
work  in  the  high-arched  ceiling.  The  monuments  form 
worthy  rivals  to  those  in  any  church  in  the  world  — 
military  heroes,  painters,  engineers,  and  scientific  men. 

The  view  from  the  golden  gallery,  a  broad  stone  walk 
around  the  outside  of  the  base  of  the  cupola,  is  unique, 
extending  as  it  does  across  the  most  enormous  stretch 
of  human  habitations  to  be  seen  on  earth. 

The  services  held  daily  and  three  times  on  Sunday 
are  impressive.  There  are  special  services  for  notable 
occasions.  One  of  the  most  striking  of  them,  held  in 
June,  is  the  annual  meeting  of  the  charity  children  of 
London  who,  to  the  number  3,500,  are  grouped  in  seats 
that  rise  in  long  slopes  from  the  pavement  to  the  arches 
above  the  aisles.  The  whites  and  scarlets  of  the  girls' 
dresses  are  strongly  contrasted  with  the  black  of  the 
boys'  clothing.  Finally  the  many  thousands  on  the  floor 
unite  with  the  children  in  the  full  service.  "  One  can 
seldom  feel  such  a  thrill,"  says  Hunnewell,  "  as  is  given 
by  the  simplicity  and  power  of  the  children's  singing 
with  its  precision,  tone  and  freshness  joined  with  that 
of  the  great  congregation." 

STORY   AND   ANECDOTE. 

When  St.  Paul's  was  building,  one  of  the  board  of 
directors  insisted  that  it  should  have  a  spire.  Wren 
drew  a  plan  with  a  gorgeous  spire  on  top  of  the  dorne, 
but  never  meant  that  it  should  be  built.  It  still  remains 
on  paper. 

Macaulay's  imagination  pictures  a  future  time  when 
some  traveler  from  New  Zealand  should  stand  upon  a 


The  Renaissance  197 

broken  arch  of  London  bridge  and  in  the  midst  of  a 
vast  soHtnde  sketch  the  ruins  of  St.  Paul's. 

In  the  year  of  the  great  plague  in  London,  three  hun- 
dred beds  were  placed  in  the  church. 

In  the  year  1600,  the  wonderful  dancing  horse,  named 
Morocco,  shod  with  silver  shoes  walked  up  one  of  the 
towers  of  St.  Paul's. 

It  is  the  only  Renaissance  cathedral  in  England,  and 
is  the  only  cathedral  in  England  that  has  a  dome. 

It  is  said  that  the  cost  of  St.  Paul's,  about  four  mil- 
lion dollars,  was  paid  by  a  tax  on  all  the  coal  brought 
into  London. 

Upon  the  grave  of  Christopher  Wren  is  the  inscrip- 
tion, "  Reader,  if  you  would  see  my  monument,  look 
around  you."  In  beginning  the  work  Wren  accidentally 
drew  the  dome  and  its  dimensions  upon  a  gravestone 
inscribed  "  Resurgam  " —  I  shall  rise  again.  This  cir- 
cumstance is  commemorated  in  the  cathedral  itself  by  a 
stone  over  the  pediment  of  the  southern  portal  upon 
which  is  sculptured  a  Phoenix  rising  from  the  flames 
with  the  motto  "  Resurgam." 

THE    PARISH    CHURCH. 

One  of  the  elements  in  the  expression  of  beauty  men- 
tioned in  the  table  on  page  1 1  is  that  of  associations. 
These  may  be  historical  or  patriotic  like  those  that  clus- 
ter around  Independence  Hall  in  Philadelphia,  or  they 
may  be  personal.  Memory  often  comes  to  the  aid  of 
architecture  helping  to  make  it  seem  beautiful.  To 
many  the  village  church  with  its  peaceful  cemetery  is 
a    sacred    spot.     Its    stones    are   hallowed   through    as- 


198  Famous  Buildings 

scx:iation.  The  wedding,  the  funeral,  the  Christmas  tree, 
the  Sunday-school  class,  and  perhaps  meetings  outside 
the  doors  all  mingle  in  our  love  for  it. 

In  England  many  of  the  parish  churches  possess  real 
architectural  beauty.  They  are  not  rich  and  grand  like 
the  cathedrals  but  a  small  building  may  have  a  distinc- 
tive beauty  of  its  own.  In  our  own  country  many  of  the 
country  churches  are  dignified  and  harmonize  with  the 
village  street  and  the  country  landscape.  Some  of  the 
early  American  spires  were  designed  by  Wren  himself, 
and  hundreds  are  more  or  less  copied  from  them.  "  The 
greatness  of  Wren,"  says  H.  H.  Bishop,  "  is  as  con- 
clusively shown  in  St.  Stephen's  in  Walbrook,  as  in  St. 
Paul's  Cathedral.  His  steeple  in  Bow  church  is  almost 
as  famous  as  his  great  dome." 

ANECDOTES    OF    ENGLISH    ARCHITECTS. 

William  of  Wykeham  (1324— 1404)  is  noted  as  one 
of  the  earliest  of  British  architects  of  whom  we  have 
a  full  history.  He  built  many  of  the  beautiful  buildings 
of  Windsor  Castle,  New  College  at  Oxford,  and  worked 
on  Winchester  Cathedral  and  School. 

The  story  is  told  of  his  work  at  Windsor,  that,  on 
one  of  the  walls  of  the  castle  the  king's  attention  was 
called  to  the  words  "  Hoc  fecit  Wykeham."  The  king 
complained  to  the  architect  about  this,  to  which  Wyke- 
ham replied  that  the  words  were  not  intended  to  mean 
"  Wykeham  made  this,"  but  "  This  made  Wykeham." 
His  ready  wit  seems  to  have  saved  him  from  the  dis- 
pleasure of  the  king,  who  heaped  many  favors  and 
preferments  upon  his  head,  and  much  affection. 


The  Renaissance  199 

Inigo  Jones  (1573— 1652)  was  the  son  of  a  cloth- 
maker,  and  there  is  no  certain  account  of  the  way  he  was 
brought  up.  We  hear  of  some  financial  troubles  of  his 
father  and  of  Inigo's  being  sent  abroad  by  certain  noble- 
men. In  his  own  words  he  tells  us  something  of  these 
travels.  "  Being  naturally  inclined  in  my  younger  years 
to  study  the  arts  of  design,"  he  says,  "  I  passed  into  for- 
eign parts  to  converse  with  the  great  masters  in  Italy, 
where  I  applied  myself  to  search  out  the  ruins  of  those 
ancient  buildings  that  yet  remain." 

Returning  to  England  he  entered  the  service  of  the 
King,  James  I,  as  "  Surveyor  of  the  Works."  The  palace 
of  Whitehall  in  London  is  the  great  monument  of  his 
genius. 

ANECDOTES  OF  SIR  CHRISTOPHER  WREN    (1632— 1723). 

Sir  Christopher  Wren  was  a  small  and  weakly  child, 
but  early  showed  a  strong  mind.  Methematics  and  as- 
tronomy were  from  the  first  his  chosen  pursuits.  At 
the  age  of  thirteen  he  invented  an  astronomical  instru- 
ment which  he  dedicated  to  his  father  in  Latin  rhyme. 
At  sixteen  he  could  discuss  questions  of  great  depth  in 
astronomy  and  pure  mathematics.  When  twenty-six, 
he  had  an  international  reputation  as  astronomer,  scientist, 
and  inventor,  before  the  source  of  his  permanent  repu- 
tation had  even  been  guessed.  He  had,  however,  been 
preparing  himself  as  an  architect,  and  his  abilities  and 
ambitions  were  not  unknown  to  King  Charles  II,  who 
wished  to  restore  St.  Paul's  Cathedral  in  London. 

Later,  Wren  lost  the  favor  of  the  king  and  was  not 
able  to  bring  the  clergy  to  his  ideas  about  St.  Paul's. 


k 


200  Famous  Buildings 

During  this  delay  Wren  traveled  in  France  studying 
and  making  many  sketches,  "  bringing  home,"  as  one 
man  put  it,  "  the  whole  of  France  on  paper."  But  what 
argument  could  not  do,  the  hand  of  fate  was  to  accom- 
plish. 

In  1666  a  great  fire  destroyed  the  old  cathedral  be- 
yond restoration,  and  enough  more  of  London  to  open 
the  way  for  extensive  city-planning.  The  carelessness 
of  the  citizen  who  set  the  fire  made  it  possible  for  Wren 
to  build  one  of  the  noblest  churches  the  world  has  ever 
known,  and  to  plan  a  more  splendid  city  than  has  ever 
been  built  before  or  since.  That  his  splendid  plans  for 
the  new  city  were  never  carried  out  except  in  small  part 
was  not  his  fault.  The  cathedral  except  for  details  was 
carried  forward  under  his  sole  direction.  He  received 
£200  a  year  for  his  services.  Of  the  other  new  churches 
rebuilt  after  the  fire,  he  also  planned  and  executed  over 
fifty. 

Wren  had  a  large  measure  of  tact,  and  the  ability  of 
impressing  a  sense  of  his  talents  upon  all  men  he  met 
with.  He  was  a  scholar  in  times  when  many  of  the 
rich  and  great  were  illiterate.  He  was  a  great  student 
and  a  great  worker. 

In  1723  his  busy  life  ended  and  with  splendid  cere- 
mony he  was  laid  beneath  the  mighty  dome  his  genius 
had  created.     "  Non  sibi,  scd  bono  publico." 


AFTER  THE  RENAISSANCE 

We  have  now  examined  the  chief  types  of  architec- 
ture. We  need  not,  all  at  once,  make  up  our  minds 
which  kind  of  architecture  we  like  best.  When  we  visit 
Egypt  we  may  be  greatly  awed  by  the  majestic  size  of 
her  pyramids  and  temples.  In  Greece  we  must  be  made 
happy  by  the  simple  and  perfect  beauty  of  her  temples. 
We  may,  for  the  time,  "  feel  Greek,"  and  know  a  quiet 
joy  we  had  not  felt  before.  As  we  look  down  the  dim 
aisles  of  Milan  Cathedral,  or  of  Notre  Dame,  or  gaze 
on  the  outward  beauties  of  Reims,  or  Rouen,  and  other 
Gothic  cathedrals,  we  may  feel  a  sort  of  rapture  or 
spiritual  elevation,  not  like  the  inspiration  of  Greece  or 
of  Egypt.  In  Rome  the  Renaissance  dome  of  St. 
Peter's,  or  the  rich  facades  of  the  Florentine  palaces 
may  give  us  a  glad  surprise,  while  in  Venice  we  may  be 
entirely  carried  away  by  the  oriental,  almost  barbaric, 
splendor  of  St.  Mark's. 

But,  afterwards,  as  we  go  about  our  daily  lives,  re- 
membering all  these  things,  we  shall  probably  find  that 
one  or  the  other  of  these  great  monuments  has  a  greater 
hold  upon  our  real  selves  than  any  of  the  rest.  To  one 
of  them  something  in  us  will  respond  with  an  unfail- 
ing love  and  devotion.  This  will  be  an  index  to  our 
character;  and,  if  the  response  rings  true,  let  us  keep 
to  our  own  choice.     Let  us  emulate  the  freedom  of  the 

201 


202  Famous  Buildings 

Renaissance  and  be  ourselves.  For,  whichever  is  our 
choice,  we  have  doubtless  chosen  well.  They  are  all 
noble  and  beautiful  forms,  worthy  of  all  the  love  we 
can  give  them;  and  they  are  great  precisely  because  they 
can  inspire  good  thoughts  in  our  minds,  and  fine  feelings 
in  our  hearts. 

Since  the  Renaissance  there  has  been  no  new  type. 
Indeed,  as  we  saw,  the  Renaissance  itself  was  a  revival 
and  making-over  of  classic  style.  So,  instead  of  any 
distinctively  new  type  of  building,  modern  times  have 
given  us  revivals  —  Greek  revivals,  and  Gothic  revivals 
chiefly. 

Professor  Hamlin  has  said :  "  Architects  are  learn- 
ing that  the  important  element  is  no  longer  the  style- 
label  on  the  details,  but  the  inherent  excellence  of  the 
composition;  of  its  distribution  of  voids  and  solids,  of 
light  and  shade,  its  proportions,  masses,  and  outlines ; 
and  thus,  freed  from  the  bondage  of  a  formula,  they 
dress  their  compositions  in  whatever  garment  of  details 
seems  most  appropriate."  The  Paris  Opera  House  may 
be  taken  as  an  illustration  of  this. 

Like  the  preceding  styles,  the  Renaissance  finally  ran 
its  course  and  degenerated  into  showiness,  and  over-orna- 
mentation instead  of  strength,  until  people  became  tired 
of  the  vulgarity  of  the  Rococo.  By  the  middle  of  the 
eighteenth  century  (1750)  it  became  evident  that  the 
vigor  and  power  of  the  Renaissance  was  dead.  The  re- 
action was  to  go  back  to  the  simple  Roman,  copied  in  ex- 
act imitation  of  the  old  fagades. 

This  Roman  revival  was  succeeded  (about  1800)  by 
a   Greek   revival,   especially  in   England   and   Germany. 


After  the  Renaissance 


203 


There  was  a  prolonged  craze  for  Greek  columns.  The 
most  famous  buildings  of  the  nineteenth  century  (and 
just  previous)   might  be  given  as  follows: 


Bank  of  England 
London 

British  Museum 
London 

University  of  London 
St.  George  Hall 

Liverpool 

Old  Museum 
Berlin 

Nev^^  Museum 
Berlin 

Court  Theater 
Berlin 

Parliament  House 
Vienna 

Pantheon 

Paris 

Arch 

Arc  de  I'Etoile 

Church  of  the  Madeleine 

Bourse 

Paris 

Palais  de  Justice 
Paris 


By  Sir  John  Sloane 
Greco-Roman 

Robert  Smirke 
Purely  Greek 
With  Ionic  Colonnade 

Wilkins 
Greek  Ionic 


Fr.  Schinkel 
With  Greek  Portico 

Stuhler 


Schinkel 
Adapted  Greek 


Close  copy  of  Roman- 
Corinthian  with  dome 


Roman-Corinthian 
Roman 

Neo-Greek 


204 


Famous  Buildings 


Louvre  completed  and 

Visconti 

united  by  new 

Lefuel 

pavilions 

New  Opera  of  Paris 

Gamier 

Dresden  Theater 

Semper 

Houses  of  Parliament 

Victorian  Gothic 

London 

About  1850  came  a  Gothic  revival  in  France,  but  it 
produced   no    famous   buildings.     Under   Napoleon   III 


'■•■■  ■-■■'l'"'-'"!"«H!Wyi.U.li:>-- 

i-ig.  1S5.     A   iidc  view   of  the   Paris  Opera   11uu;l. 

the  Louvre  was  completed  with  great  skill  and  taste. 
The  Pavilion  of  Richelieu,  by  Visconte  Lefuel,  and  the 
remodeling  of  the  Pavilion  de  Flore  and  de  Marsan,  are 
in  this  style. 

One  of  the  most  famous  buildings  of  the  world,  the 


After  the  Renaissance  205 

New   Opera   House   of    Paris,   by   Garnier    (1863-75), 
ranks  as  a  great  national  monument. 

The  greatest  of  architecture  after  the  Renaissance  de- 
pends rather  upon  its  adaptation  to  use  and  skilful 
planning,  than  upon  the  borrowing  of  the  details  of 
classic  styles.  Expression  of  character  and  refinement 
in  detail  also  characterize  the  best  of  it. 


FAMOUS  BUILDINGS  IN  AMERICA 

THE    ARCHITECTURE    OF    THE    HOME. 

This  is  sometimes  called  domestic  architecture,  to 
distinguish  it  from  civil  architecture  such  as  public  build- 
ings, or  from  ecclesiastical  architecture  such  as  churches, 
or  from  military  architecture  such  as  forts.     Domestic 


Fig.  86.     Mount  Vernon,  the  home  of  Washington. 

architecture  is  of  great  importance  to  a  people,  and  it 
will  be  worth  our  while  to  consider  how  it  began. 

Something  to  eat  and  a  shelter  to  sleep  in  are  man's 
first  needs.  Wild  men  of  the  fields  and  woods  look 
for  a  cave,  they  dig  holes  in  banks,  or  they  climb  into 
trees.  When  enough  of  such  places  cannot  be  found, 
or  better  homes  are  required,  they  make  tents  of  skins, 

206 


Famous  Buildings  in  America       207 

or  huts  of  branches.  Sometimes,  to  be  safer,  they  build 
these  huts  on  piles  and  over  water.  Such  people  are 
called  Lake  Dwellers,  and  remains  of  their  villages  are 
found  in  what  is  now  Switzerland.  Those  who  live 
in  holes  under  the  rocks  are  called  Cave  Dwellers,  and 
remains  of  ancient  homes  of  this  sort  are  found  in  many 
parts  of  the  world,  because  rude  peoples,  having  like 
needs  and  the  same  chances,  will  think  of  doing  the 
same  things. 

Those  i>eople,  whose  wealth  is  in  herds  of  cattle  and 
flocks  of  sheep  and  goats  will  chose  to  dwell  in  tents, 
that  they  may  easily  take  their  homes  with  their  ani- 
mals, when,  because  of  hunger,  there  must  be  a  removal 
to  new  pastures.  These  people  are  called  nomadic,  or 
wandering  tribes. 

Families  who  live  by  farming  need  to  dwell  most  of 
the  time  in  one  place.  They  will  think  of  making  larger 
and  more  lasting  houses  of  the  materials  most  easily  and 
cheaply  to  be  had.  A  village  will  be  formed;  a  church, 
a  public  hall,  a  market,  and  a  school  will  be  needed, 
each  so  constructed  as  to  be  good  for  its  special  use. 
The  village,  if  well  placed,  will  grow  into  a  town,  and 
at  last  become  a  city. 

The  home  of  to-day,  our  kind  of  home,  with  its  com- 
forts and  associations,  is  the  product  of  civilization,  al- 
though in  America  there  were  true  homes  even  in  the 
wilderness. 

Figure  87  is  a  log  cabin  not  unlike  one  in  which  a 
great  President  of  the  United  States  was  born.  If  we 
consider  this  simple  structure  we  shall  see  that  it  had 
many   of   the   elements  of   good   architecture.     It   was 


208  Famous  Buildings 

fit.  It  was  convenient  for  practical  use,  and  it  was 
suited  to  its  surroundings;  its  construction  and  arrange- 
ment were  exactly  adapted  to  the  needs  of  its  occupants. 
It  was  well-lighted,  and  well-ventilated.     It  was  strong: 

the  logs  were  cut  and  fitted,  and 
£'  could      withstand     storm      and 

stress,   wind  and  rain,   and   at- 
tacks by  Indians.     Patched  with 
mud   and  papered  within,   even 
the    cold    could    scarcely    pene- 
trate.    It     was     beautiful :     its 
color  soon  harmonized  with  the 
Fig.  87.    Log  cabin.        landscape;    its    few    ornaments 
were  sensible.     It  expressed  itself  and  its  owner.     Every 
home  should  do  that. 

Nearly  every  one  becomes  personally  interested  in 
architecture  at  some  time  in  his  life.  Perhaps  this  will 
come  to  him  just  after  he  has  seen  some  beautiful  build- 
ing that  greatly  impresses  him.  But  it  will  surely  come 
when  he  builds  or  alters  his  own  home,  and,  if  he  is 
a  reasonable,  sensible  man,  he  will  want  a  reasonable, 
sensible  home.  If  he  is  pretentious  and  vain  himself  he 
will  probably  reveal  it  all  the  more  clearly  by  the  kind 
of  home  he  puts  up.  One  thing  we  should  make  sure 
of,  namely,  that  the  home  shall  be  convenient  —  do  its 
duty  well.  It  should  also  do  it  in  a  graceful,  pleasing 
way,  A  man  will  not  become  an  architect  by  building 
his  home,  nor  by  reading  books,  but  he  will  learn  to 
appreciate  more  of  what  he  sees.  There  is  an  old  say- 
ing: "By  dint  of  hammering  you  become  a  black- 
smith." 


Famous  Buildings  in  America       209 

MOUNT    VERNON. 

Mount  Vernon  is  a  place  of  great  interest  to  all  Amer- 
icans, for  it  was  the  home  of  George  Washington.  It 
was  an  ideal  country  home  in  its  time,  and  it  speaks  of 
comfort  and  peace  to  all  who  visit  it  to-day.  Wash- 
ington wrote  to  Lafayette:  "I  have  become  a  private 
citizen  on  the  banks  of  the  Potomac,  and  under  the 
shadow  of  my  vine  and  fig-tree.  I  am  solacing  myself 
with  tranquil  enjoyments."  The  scene  is  one  of  great 
natural  beauty,  with  the  noble  river,  the  hills  and  the 
valleys  and  deep  woods,  the  park  of  deer  —  all  the  fit 
abode  for  a  noble  mind.  Here  the  Washingtons  lived, 
and  dispensed  a  quiet,  warm-hearted  hospitality. 

It  was  built  for  comfort  and  convenience,  somewhat 
reminding  us  of  Longfellow's  description  of  the  Way- 
side Inn,  which  was : 

Built  in  the  old  Colonial  day, 
When  men  lived  in  a  grander  way, 
With  ampler  hospitality. 

The  place  is  admirably  preserved,  mostly  in  its  original 
state;  and  to  visit  it  is  to  bring  back  the  times  of  long 
ago.  But,  although  the  arrangements  seem  simple  to 
us,  we  are  impressed  by  their  convenience  and  suita- 
bility. 

The  plan  of  the  estate  is  important,  with  its  fore- 
court surrounded  by  kitchens,  work-shops,  and  offices, 
the  mansion  itself  opening  toward  the  view.  The  pub- 
lic, the  private,  and  the  service  portions  were  kept  care- 
fully distinct.     Notice  the  tall  portico,  and  the  arcade  con- 


210 


Famous  Buildings 


necting  the  detached  building.  One  of  these  was  the 
kitchen  where  to-day  we  may  see  the  candle-mold,  the 
warming  pans,  the  great  andirons  and  pots,  and  many 
kinds  of  household  implements  that  have  since  been 
superseded  by  newer  inventions.  Another  building  held 
the  spinning  and  weaving  machinery ;  another  the  family 
coach;  and  so  on.  How  independent  was  the  farmer 
of  those  days!  He  had  everything  necessary  right  at 
home. 

I  suppose  we  should  call  the  architecture  Colonial, 
and  the  style,  which  we  call  Colonial,  is  a  sort  of  sim- 
plified Renaissance.  It  is  often  called  Georgian  because 
it  flourished  in  England  during  the  reign  of  the  Georges. 


THE    CAPITOL   AT    WASHINGTON. 

We  have  seen  that  throughout  Europe,  although  there 
were  periods  of  extensive  building,  no  new  type  came 


Fig.  88.     United  States  Capitol  at  Washington,  D.  C. 

into  being  after  the  fifteenth  century,   but  instead  re- 
vivals of  the  classic  and  Gothic. 


Famous  Buildings  in  America       211 

The  capitol  at  Washington,  which  is  so  famihar  to 
all  Americans,  is  in  the  style  of  classic  revival.  The 
type  of  this  great  building  has  been  adopted  widely  for 
smaller  public  buildings  and  so  it  has  had  a  great  influ- 
ence on  our  ideas 
of  buildings  of  this 
class.  The  style 
is  called,  more  pre- 
cisely, the  neo-Ro- 
man  or  the  New 
Roman.  Figure  87 
shows  a  part  of  the 
capitol.  We  notice 
that  it  is  marked 
by  a  free  use  of 
columns  in  por- 
ticoes with  much  detail  taken  from  ancient  Roman  build- 
ings. 

Of  this  same  style,  though  quite  dissimilar  in  appear- 
ance, is  the  great  new  terminal  of  the  Pennsylvania  Sta- 
tion in  New  York,  It  is  a  sort  of  American  Renais- 
sance. Skilful  planning,  and  adaptation  to  use,  are  its 
best  features. 

We  all  know  that  many  of  our  older  public  buildings 
are  horrible  examples.  Some  one  has  said  that  the 
greatest  difficulty  with  which  American  architects  have 
to  contend  is  public  indifference.  But  now  that  all 
seems  to  be  changing,  and  the  people  as  a  whole  now 
take  a  deep  interest  in  having  their  public  buildings 
erected  in  a  worthy  manner,  and  in  having  their  archi- 
tecture beautiful  and  fit. 


Fig.  89.     Neo-Roman  architecture.    From 
the  Capitol  at  Washingfton. 


212 


Famous  Buildings 


THE   WOOLWORTH    BUILDING. 

The  peculiar  conditions  of   American   business  have 
given  us  a  new  type  of  architecture  known  as  the  sky- 

scraper.  It  is  a  distinct 
type  as  much  as  those 
of  the  Middle  Ages,  al- 
though its  ornamental 
features  are  usually 
borrowed  from  wher- 
ever the  architect  finds 
it  convenient,  or  thinks 
it  suitable  to  borrow. 
They  may  be  Gothic,  or 
Romanesque,  or  Re- 
naissance, or  pure 
Greek.  The  modern 
architect  considers  the 
situation  and  purpose  of 
the  building,  and  com- 
monsense  and  good 
taste  tell  him  how  he 
should  build. 

In  structure  the  sky- 
scraper must  be  a  build- 
ing of  steel  frame.  Its 
exterior  appearance 
may  be  inappropriate 
and  ugly,  as  sometimes 


Fig.  90. 


The    Woolworth    Building, 
New  York, 
happens;  or  it  may  be  suitable  and  beautiful. 

The  Woolworth  Building  is  an  example  of  the  suita- 


Famous  Buildings  in  America       213 

ble  and  beautiful  kind,  and  it  thrills  the  beholder  as 
few  other  buildings  can  do.  Its  chief  beauty  is  its  tall 
tower.  Its  color  of  creamy  whiteness,  with  roofs  of 
green  and  gold,  greatly  helps  its  lace-like  lightness,  and 
the  whole  effect  is  one  of  inspiration  and  pleasure. 

The  skyscraper  is  no  exception  to  the  truth  that  archi- 
tecture tells  the  story  of  a  people.  It  does  not  contain 
writings  and  sculptured  pictures  like  the  Egyptian  tem- 
ples, but,  if  the  people  of  future  ages  dig  up  our  sky- 
scrapers, they  will  need  no  writings  to  proclaim  how 
ingenious  and  convenient  were  our  contrivances,  or  how 
great  was  our  hurry.  We  ^tould  show  plainly,  too, 
that  one  man  or  combination  of  men  could  shut  off  the 
light  from  his  neighbors,  and  that  one  man  lived  like  a 
king  where  thousands  existed  in  crowded  squalor. 

SOME  AMERICAN  ARCHITECTS. 

THOMAS   JEFFERSON    AS   AN    ARCHITECT    (1743-1826). 

"  Architecture  is  worth  great  attention,  since  it  shows 
so  much,"  wrote  Thomas  Jefferson,  the  author  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence. 

Jefferson  was  a  great  lover  and  a  great  student  of 
architecture.  "  How,"  he  asked  Madison,  "  is  public 
taste  in  this  beautiful  art  to  be  cultivated  in  our  country- 
men unless  we  present  to  them,  on  every  occasion  when 
public  buildings  are  to  be  erected,  models  for  study  and 
imitation?  " 

Jefferson's    studies     were    so    thorough    and    well 
grounded  that  he  is  worthy  of  ranking  as  the  earliest  of 
the    great    American    architects.     His    first    important 


214  Famous  Buildings 

work  was  his  own  home,  Monticello,  begun  in  1770, 
long  before  trained  men  were  at  work.  Architects  of 
to-day,  who  have  had  the  long  training  which  an  archi- 
tect must  have,  wonder  where  Jefferson  got  the  technical 
knowledge  and  skill  which  a  study  of  his  home  re- 
veals. We  know  that  he  owned  Palladio's  treatise  on 
the  Five  Orders,  and  that  he  followed  Palladio's  ideas. 
His  most  important  work  was  the  University  of  Vir- 
ginia, which  was  the  product  of  his  mind  alone.  It  is 
a  great  architectural  success,  and  architects  can  under- 
stand the  great  amount  of  labor  he  put  upon  it.  His 
plans  and  notes  for  this  undertaking  are  still  in  existence, 
and  it  is  marvelous  to  see  how  meager  they  are  com- 
pared with  what  an  architect  to-day  would  have  to  put 
on  paper  before  turning  over  his  work  to  the  actual 
builders.  We  are  told  that  Jefferson  actually  trained 
the  stone  and  brick  workers  and  the  carpenters. 

CHARLES    BULFINCH     (1796-1867). 

"  li  the  artist,  who  fashions  a  great  statue,  or  who 
paints  a  great  picture,  leave  behind  him  an  enviable  fame 
and  a  fragrant  memory,  surely  the  men  who  have  helped 
fashion  and  adorn  a  great  city,  who  have  laid  its  founda- 
tions and  builded  its  walls,  who  have  given  it  its  char- 
acter, and  guided  the  currents  of  its  history,  who  have 
made  Boston,  Boston,  and  Worcester,  Worcester,  have 
a  far  greater  title  to  grateful  remembrance,"  writes 
Senator  George  F.  Hoar  in  speaking  of  Charles  Bul- 
finch,  the  American  architect. 

Charles  Bulfinch  was  born  in  Boston  in  1763.  He 
tells  us  that  he  would  have  become  a  doctor  like  his 


Famous  Buildings  in  America       215 

father,  but  that  his  father  was  averse  to  it.  He  entered 
a  counting-room  of  a  friend  and,  owing  to  the  unsettled 
state  of  business,  had  much  leisure  time.  The  attend- 
ing to  some  building  on  the  estate  of  one  of  the  partners 
of  the  firm  helped  to  interest  him  in  architecture.  The 
death  of  a  relative  in  England  brought  a  thousand  dollar 
bequest,  and  his  parents  devoted  it  to  a  trip  abroad  for 
Charles.  He  writes  of  this  tour :  "  I  was  delighted  in 
observing  the  numerous  objects  and  beauties  of  nature 
and  art  that  I  met  with  on  all  sides,  particularly  the  won- 
ders of  architecture." 

The  completion  of  the  capitol  at  Washington  was 
his  most  important  work,  and  the  state  house  in  Boston 
one  of  his  best  known.  He  did  many  public  buildings 
and  entire  streets,  such  as  Park  Place,  in  Boston. 

HENRY    H.    RICHARDSON    (1838-1886). 

Henry  Hobson  Richardson  was  born  in  Louisiana  in 
1838.  Soon  after  his  graduation  from  Harvard  Col- 
lege his  stepfather  sent  him  abroad  to  prosecute  his 
architectural  studies.  He  si>ent  a  summer  traveling  in 
England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland,  and  then  settled  down 
to  his  work  in  Paris.  The  great  Paris  art  school,  es- 
pecially for  architects,  then  as  now,  was  the  ficole  des 
Beaux  Arts.  He  writes  home  about  his  admission 
there :  "  The  examinations  lasted  one  month  and  were 
carried  on  entirely  in  French.  I  was  sick,  but  neverthe- 
less I  was  eighteenth  of  sixty  accepted  out  of  a  hun- 
dred and  twenty -five  who  tried." 

During  the  course  of  his  studies  he  wrote  many  let- 
ters that  have  been  preserved.     In  one  he  says :     "  My 


2i6  Famous  Buildings 

poor  country  is  overrun  with  poor  architects.     I   will 
never  practise  till  I  feel  I  can  do  justice  to  my  art." 

Trinity  Church,  Boston,  and  the  capitol  at  Albany 
and  the  jail  of  Pittsburg  are  three  of  his  most  important 
works,  but  town  halls  and  libraries  and  other  public 
buildings  in  many  cities  spread  his  influence  all  over 
America.  Many  beautiful  private  dwellings  came  from 
his  hand. 


ORIENTAL  ARCHITECTURE 

The  styles  of  architecture  we  have  been  examining 
have  a  definite  relation  to  each  other,  one  growing  out 
of  another,  but  the  great  oriental  countries  like  China, 
Japan,  and  India  have  their  own  styles  which  have  noth- 
ing to  do  with  those  we  have  studied;  and  we  have  left 
a  brief  mention  of  them  until  the  very  last. 

In  India  there  are  many  great  buildings  so  wonder- 
fully constructed,  carved,  and  decorated  as  to  have  be- 
come truly  famous.  The  styles  are  usually  designated 
according  to  the  three  great  religions  of  India :  the 
Buddhist,  the  Jain,  and  the  Brahman  or  Hindu.  They 
all  have  traits  in  common  and,  as  we  may  note  in  the 
cuts,  they  present  an  appearance  of  similarity.  In  con- 
trast to  our  own  ideas,  they  do  not  follow  the  lines  of 
structure  in  their  decoration.  Ornament  is  profuse  and 
rich  and  sometimes  covers  all  parts  of  the  buildings. 
Sculpture  is  freely  used,  and  the  interiors  show  multi- 
tudes of  columns  adorning  halls  and  corridors.  The 
materials  are  usually  sand-stone  or  brick,  and  nearly  all 
the  great  buildings  are  religious  —  temples,  shrines,  and 
monasteries. 

We  have  seen  (page  92)  how  Mohammedan  architec- 
ture came  into  India  during  the  period  from  the  eleventh 
to  the  fourteenth  centuries,  but  even  previous  to  that 
there  was  a  fully  developed  style  of  archi*^ecture  in  India. 

.217 


2l8 


Famous  Buildings 


Fig.  91.     Sanskrit    architecture.    Sura- 
mee  Temple,  Benares,  India. 


Its  rise  and  growth 
are  a  mystery.  It 
seems  to  have  sprung 
from  the  soil,  and  to 
have  borrowed  noth- 
ing from  the  rest  of 
the  world.  In  the 
first  cut  we  have  an 
example  of  the  tem- 
ple at  Benares,  India. 
This  is  in  the  ancient 
style,  known  as  Sans- 
krit, from  which  the 
Jain  style  developed. 
The  leading  characteristic  of  the  Sanskrit  style  is  the 
tower-like  shape  of  the  temples,  with  square  plan  and 
base,  the  upper  part 
curving  inwards. 

The  next  cut 
shows  the  develop- 
ed Jain  architecture 
in  the  Temple  at 
Kali,  Katraha,  In- 
dia. The  domes 
built  in  horizontal 
courses  of  pointed 
section,  are  a  fea- 
ture. The  domes 
usually  rest  upon 
eight  pillars,  ar- 
rayed    OCtagonally,     Fig.  92.    Temple  at  Kali  Katraha,  India. 


Oriental  Architecture 


219 


with  four  more  pillars  at  the  corners  completing  a 
square  in  plan.  The  central  figure  in  a  Jain  temple 
is  a  cell  lighted  from  the  door,  and  containing  a 
cross-legged  figure  of  one  of  the  deified  saints  of  the 
sect.  Notice  the  rich  carving  of  the  exterior.  Jain 
architecture  is  still  practised  in  India.  It  began  about 
the  same  time  as  Buddhist  architecture  and  developed 
with  it  after  about  a.d.  450.  They  are  closely  akin  to 
each  other  in  many  respects. 

In  the  cut,  Figure  93,  we  have  a  temple  of  another 
style.  It  is  the  great  Pagoda,  Tanjore,  Southern  India. 
Such  towers  were  originally  raised  over  relics  of  Buddha, 
the  bones  of  a  saint,  or  some  other  sacred  objects. 
Nowadays  they  are 
sometimes  built  chiefly 
as  a  work  of  merit  on 
the  part  of  some  pious 
person,  or  in  the  belief 
that  they  will  improve 
the  fortunes  of  the 
neighborhood.  The  rich 
carving  and  painting  are 
noteworthy  features  and 
the  form  is  usually  pyra- 
midal 

Chinese  and  Japanese 
are  the  other  chief 
branches  of  Oriental  art ; 
but  their  buildings,  being 

largely  of  wood,  are  not  of  great  importance  to  the 
history  of  architecture.     This  use  of  wood  is  partly  due 


Fig.  93.    Great  Pagoda,  Tanjore, 
Southern  India. 


220 


Famous  Buildings 


to   the   prevalence   of   earthquakes.     They   are   cleverly 
decorated.      The  cut  ( Fig.  94)  is  a  characteristic  example 

of  Chinese  art. 
The  roofs  are  usu- 
ally tiled,  and 
have  a  hollow  dip 
as  if  copied  from 
a  tent.  Glazed  til- 
ing of  various  col- 
ors is  a  feature. 
A  peculiarity  of 
Chinese  building 
is  that  they  begin 
with  the  roof 
which  is  support- 
ed on  posts.  After 
this  is  furnished 
they  build  the 
walls  under  it. 


Fig.  94.     The  Fuhkien  Temple,  Niugpo, 
China. 


LIST  OF  PROPER  NAMES 

Pronounced  and  Defined, 
with  Page  Index 

Acropolis.     A   general  name   for  the  citadel  of  a  Greek  city,  but 

especially  used  for  that  at  Athens,  where  it  is  a  precipitous  rock 

about  260  feet  above  the  city  and  about  1000  x  400  feet  in  size. 

Pages  37  and  44. 
Alberti  (iil-bar'-te)  Leone  Battista.     A  noted  Italian  poet,  musician, 

painter,  sculptor,  and  architect.     Born  at  Florence  1404.    Died 

at  Rome  1472.     See  pages  175,  178  and  179. 
Alhambra  (al-ham'-brii).     A  great  citadel  and  palace,  founded  in  the 

13th  century  above  the  city  of  Granada,  Spain,  by  the  Moorish 

Kings.     See  pages  16,  85,  87,  89-91. 
Amiens    (a-me-ah').     A   leading  commercial   city  in   France.    The 

cathedral  begun  in  1220  is  in  purity  and  majesty  of  design  one 

of   the   finest   of   medieval    structures.     Much   damaged    in   the 

war  in  1814.     See  pages  95,  155,  156. 
Apollinare    in    Classe    (a-pol-le-na'-re    in    clas'-se).     A    church    in 

Ravenna„  Italy,  begun  in  534.     It  is  the  most  important  existing 

early-Christian  basilica  in  Italy.     See  page  75. 
Arc  de  I'Etoile   (iirk  de  la-twal').    A  triumphal  arch  in  Paris  the 

largest  in  existence.     Begun  in  1806  by  Napoleon,  but  not  fin- 
ished until  1836.     The  structure  is  146  feet  wide  and  160  high 

and  72  feet  deep.     See  page  203. 
Arch  of  Constantine.     A  triumphal  arch  built  in  Rome  in  312  A,  d. 

See  description  on  pages  67,  68  and  69. 
Arch  of  Titus.     A  triumphal  arch  built  in  Rome  to  commemorate 

the  taking  of  Jerusalem.     See  description  on  pages  69  and  70. 
Aries    (iirl).     A   French   city,   sometimes   called   the   French   Rome 

because  of  its  many  antiquities.     These  include  an  amphitheater, 

a  palace,  an  obelisk  and  so  forth. 
Arno    (ar'-no).     A   river  in  Italy  about   140  miles  long,  on  which 

are  situated  both  Pisa  and  Florence. 
Athene   (a-the'-ne).     In  Greek  mythology,  the  goddess  of  wisdom. 

The  same  as  the  Roman  Minerva.     See  pages  33  and  44. 
Athens    (ath'-enz).    The  capital  and  largest  city   of  Greece.     See 

pages  ZT,  43. 
Avignon  (a-ven-yon').    A  city  of  France. 

Beauvais  (bo-va').  A  city  in  France.  43  miles  N.  W.  of  Paris.  Its 
cathedral  is  noted  for  its  superb  glass  and  the  vaulting  and 
tracery   of  its    choir.     See  mention   on  page    123. 

221 


222  Famous  Buildings 

Benares   (be-na'-rez).    A  city  of  India.     See  illustration  page  218. 
Beni-Hassan   (ba'-na-has'-an).     A  village  of  Egypt,  famous  for  its 

rock- tombs.     Page  28  and  picture  page  30. 
Bernini  (ber-ne-ne),  Giovanni  Lorenzo.     Born  at  Naples  1598,  died 

at    Rome    1680.    At   one   time   architect   of    St.    Peters.     Made 

designs  for  the  east  front  of  the  Louvre.     See  page  175. 
Boboli    (bo'-bo-le)    Gardens.     These   are   in    the    rear   of   the    Pitti 

Palace  in  Florence.     Open  to  the  public  and  filled  with  grottoes 

and  fountains.     See  pages  171,  172. 
Bologna    (bo-lon'-ya).     Capital  city  of  a  province  in  Italy.     Pop- 
ulation 165,000. 
Bramante   (bra-man'-te)   Donato  d'AngnoIo.     Born  1444,  died  1514. 

Celebrated   Italian   architect  and   one   of  the   designers   of   St. 

Peters.     See  pages  167,  175,  179,  180,  181. 
Bruges  (bro'-jez).     A  city  in  Belgium. 
Brunelleschi    (bro-nel-les'-ke)    Filipo.     Born  in  Florence  1379,  died 

1446.     Noted   Italian  architect.     See   anecdotes  pages    159,    167, 

170,  171,  172. 
Buddha  (bii'-da).     The  founder  of  Buddhism,  a  religion  of  Ceylon, 

China  and  Japan,  numbering  more  than  350,000,000  adherents. 
Byzantine  (biz'-an-tin  or  bi-zan'-tin).     A  style  of  architecture.     See 

pages  13,  14,  77-%2>,  87. 

Caen  (kaii).  A  city  in  France.  Seat  of  a  fine  Romanesque  ca- 
thedral. 

Campo  Santo  (kam'-po  san'-to).  A  cemetery  (sacred  field).  That 
at  Pisa  begun  in  1278  being  notable.     See  pages  100,  107. 

Chambord  (shoh-bor').  A  village  in  France  which  contains  a 
famous  chateau  illustrating  Renaissance  architecture. 

Cheops   (ke-ops).     See  pages  23,  24,  91. 

Chichester  (chich'-es-ter).  A  city  in  England  containing  a  noted 
cathedral,  chiefly  of  Norman  style. 

Cologne  (k5-lon').  The  largest  city  of  the  Rhine  province  of  Ger- 
many. Its  cathedral  begun  in  1248  was  only  completed  in 
1880.     See  description  pages  117,   123,  148,  154,   155. 

Colosseum  (kol-o-se'-um),  or  Flavian  amphitheater,  in  Rome.  See 
description  pages  50,  57-60. 

Dijon    (de-zhon').    A  city  in  France.     Noted  for  its  fine,  but  not 

large,  cathedral.     See  page  123. 
Doges  Palace   (do'-jez).     See  description  pages  81,  98,  183-187. 
Domitian    (do-mish'-ian).     The   name   of   a    Roman   Emperor   born 

A.  D.  51. 
Drachenfels   (drach'-en-felz).     A  steep  mountain  on  the  Rhine.     In 

a  cave  here  lived  the  dragon  slain  by  Siegfried.     See  page  114. 

Edfu  (ed'-fo)  or  Edfou.  A  town  in  upper  Egypt  situated  on  the 
bank  of  the  Nile.  Its  temple  is  the  finest  existing  example  of 
an  Egyptian  religious  edifice.     See  pages  16,  21,  27. 

Erechtheum  (e-rek-the'-um).  An  Ionic  temple  at  Athens.  See 
pages  16,  27,  4°,  46,  47- 


List  of  Proper  Names  223 

Etruscans  (e-trus'-kanz)  or  Etrurians.  A  people  of  Northern 
Italy.     See  page  54. 

Flavian.  Referring  to  the  Roman  Emperors  of  the  house  of  Flavius, 
namely  :Vespasian,  Titus  and  Domitian. 

Fontainebleau  (fon-tan-blo').  Town  in  France  and  palace  of  the 
same  name.  This  palace,  long  the  residence  of  French  Kings 
displays  the  styles  of  Renaissance  architecture.     See  page  188. 

Gamier,  Charles  G.  T.  (gar-nya').  A  French  architect  who  de- 
signed the  Paris  Opera  House,  which  was  erected  under  his 
supervision  1863-74.     See  page  192. 

Ghibellines  (gib'-e-linz).  The  imperial  and  aristocratic  party  in 
Italy  in  the  Middle  Ages.     See  page  95. 

Ghiberti    (ge-ber'-te)    Lorenzo.     See  pages  167,   168. 

Giotto  (jot'-to).  Celebrated  Italian  painter,  architect  and  sculptor. 
See  pages  97,  150,  151,  152. 

Gobelin  (gob-Ian')-  A  French  family  who  introduced  the  manu- 
facture of  tapestries  in  the  15th  century. 

Gothic  (goth'-ik).  Language  of  the  Goths,  an  ancient  race  of  the 
3rd  century.  See  pages,  15,  17,  18,  19,  48,  72,  78,  91,  97,  99, 
116,  123-156,  157,  162,  166. 

Granada  (gra-na'-da).  A  kingdom  or  province  in  Spain  and  its 
capital.     See  page  85. 

Guelfs  (or  Guelphs)  (gwelfs).  The  Papal  and  popular  party  in 
Italy  in  the  Middle  Ages.     See  page  95. 

Haddon  Hall.     Situated  two  miles  S.  E.  of  Bakewell,  Derbyshire, 

England.     A  notable  example  of  medieval  residence  of  a  great 

English  landed  proprietor. 
Hadrian.     Roman  Emperor  76-138  A.  D.    A  patron  of  the  arts  and 

a  great  builder. 
Hampton  Court.     A  royal  palace  on  the  Thames  near  London.     Bat- 

tlemented  Tudor  buildings.     Built  1515-1535.    The  modern  part 

added  by  Wren  in  Renaissance  style. 
Hindus  (hin'-doz).     The  native  race  in  India. 
Homer.     The  Greek  poet  to  whom  is  assigned  the  authorship  of  the 

Iliad  and  the  Odyssey.     See  page  48. 

Ictinus  (ik-ti'-nus).  A  Greek  architect  who  lived  in  the  middle 
of  the  5th  century  b.  c.  and  was  chief  designer  of  the  Parthenon. 
See  pages  16,  42,  43. 

Ionic.     See  glossary  and  pages  34,  zi,  47.  56,  58. 

Jain   (jIn),     Pertaining  to  the  Jains,  a  Hindu  sect. 
Jones,  Inigo.    See  pages  19,  193,  199. 

Kali    (ka'-le).    The  name  of  a   Hindu   temple   and   divinity.     See 

page  218. 
Karnak  (kar'-nac).     A  village  in  Egypt  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the 

Nile,  on  the  site  of  Thebes,  famous  for  ruins  of  antiquity.     See 

pages  16,  21,  27,  '&,  29. 


224  Famous  Buildings 

Khufu  (ko'-fo).    An  Egyptian  King,  builder  of  the  great  pyramid. 

Lido  (le'-do). 

Louvre  (lovr).    A  palace  in  Paris.     See  pages  189-191. 
Lucca   (16k'-ka).     A  province  in  Italy. 

Luxor  (luk'-sor).  A  village  in  Upper  Egypt,  on  part  of  the  site 
of  ancient  Thebes.    See  pages  16,  21. 

Madeline  (mad-Ian').  A  church  in  Paris  of  the  Roman-Corinthian 
style.     See  page  203. 

Magna  Charta  (mag'-na  kar'-ta).  The  great  charter  of  the  liberties 
of  England  granted  by  King  John  in  1215  used  as  a  date  or 
epoch  in  history. 

Maison  Carree  (ma-z6n  ka-ra')-  An  ancient  building  at  Nimes, 
France,  with  Corinthian  columns.     See  page  59. 

Mayence  (ma-yoiis').  A  city  on  the  Rhine  in  Germany.  Also 
spelled  Mainz  (mlntz). 

Medici  (med'-e-che).  An  Italian  family  which  formerly  ruled  in 
Florence.     See  page  160. 

Michelangelo  (mi-kel-an'-je-l6).  A  famous  Italian  painter,  sculp- 
tor and  architect.     See  pages  108,  159,  160,  169,  181,  182. 

Michelozzo  (me-ke-lot'-so).  An  eminent  sculptor  and  architect. 
See  page  173. 

Milan  (me-lan').  The  second  city  in  size  in  Italy  noted  for  its 
great  cathedral  begun  in  1387.     See  pages  156,  179,  201. 

Mohammed  (mo-ham'-ed)  570-632.  The  founder  of  the  Moham- 
medan religion.     See  pages  15,   16,  85,  217. 

Monticello  (mon-te-sel'-lo).  The  mansion  and  estate  of  Thomas 
Jefferson  in  the  State  of  Virginia.     See  pages  213,  214. 

Moslems  (moz'-lemz).     The  followers  of  Mohammed.     See  page  85. 

Nimes   (nem).    A  city  of  France.     See  page  59. 
Notre  Dame    (no'-tr  dam).    A  cathedral  at   Paris.     See  pages   17, 
122,  136-143. 

Palladio  (pal-la'-de-o)  Andrea.     A  celebrated  Italian  architect.     See 

pages  187,  188. 
Palazzo    Vecchio     (pa-liit'-so    vek'-ke-o).     A    palace    in    Florence, 

Italy.     See  page  171. 
Pantheon    (pan'-the-6n).     A  building  at  Rome.     See  pages  49,  54, 

62-67. 
Parthenon  (par'-the-non).     A  temple  at  Athens,  Greece.     See  pages 

16,  31,  33,  34,  38,  42-46. 
Pepys  (peps  or  pips  or  peps)  Samuel.    An  English  politician  whose 

diary  is  one  of  the  famous  books  of  the  world. 
Pericles  (per'-i-klez).      An  Athenian  statesman.      See  pages  16,  32, 48. 
Perrault  (pa-ro')  Claude.     A  French  architect.     See  page  190. 
Pincian   (pin'-shi-an).     A  hill  in  the  northern  part  of  Rome. 
Place  de  la  Concorde    (plas-de-la  kon-kord').     A  noted  square  in 

Paris. 


List  of  Proper  Names  225 

Pompeii    (pom-pa'-ye).     An  ancient  city  of  Italy. 

Ponte    Vecchio    (pon'-te   vek'-ke-o).     Meaning   "old   bridge."     See 

page  170. 
Pozzuoli  (pot-s6'-6-le).    A  seaport  in  Italy. 

Rainaldo  (ra-nal'-do).     See  page  loi. 

Raphael    (ra'- fa-el).     A    great    Italian   painter    and    architect.     See 

pages  66,  159,  180,  182,  183. 
Reims  (or  Rheims)    (Remz).     A  city  in  France.     See  page  201. 
Renaissance    (re-na-sons').     A  period  in  history  and  the  name  of 

an  architectural  style.     See  pages  157-200. 
Rouen  (ro-on').     A  city  in  France.     See  pages  123,  131,  165,  201. 
Rue  Royal   (ru  rwa-yal').    A  street  in  Paris. 

Sainte  Chappelle  (sant-sha-pel')-     A  chapel  in  Paris.     See  page  193. 

Sancta  Sophia  (or  Sofia)    (s6-fe'-a).     See  pages  "jy  and  78. 

Santa  Croce   (kro'-che).     See  page  153. 

Seville  (sev'-il  or  se-vil')-     See  page  17. 

de   Sully    (sul'-i).     See   page    17,    I4.3. 

Symonds  (sim'-ondz)  John  Addington.     An  English  man  of  letters. 

Taj  Mahal  (tazh-ma-hal').     A  building  in  India.     See  pages  91,  92. 
Tangier  (tan-jer').     A  seaport  of  Morocco.     See  page  87. 
Tanjore  (tan-jor').    A  state  in  India.     See  page  219. 
Thebes  (thebz).    A  city  of  ancient  Egypt  situated  on  the  Nile.     See 
page  29. 

Vasari   (va-sa'-re)   Giorgio.    An  Italian  painter  and  writer  on  art 

whose  "  Lives  "  is  one  of  the  world's  famous  books.     See  pages 

167.   169.  170,   173.  182. 
Versailles  (ver-salz).     A  city  about  ten  miles  from  Paris  noted  for 

its  famous  palace  and  gardens. 
Vezelay  (vaz-la')-     A  town  in  France.     See  pages  107,  I09r 
Vicenza   (ve-chent'-za).     A  town  in  Italy. 
Viollet-Ic-Duc    (vyo-la'-le   diik').     A    French   architect   and   writer, 

famous  for  his  dictionary  of  architecture.     See  page  192. 
Vischer   (fish'-er).     See  page  19   (table). 


GLOSSARY  OF  TERMS  USED  IN 
ARCHITECTURE 

With  Many  Page  References. 

Abacus.  The  slab  forming  the  topmost  feature  of  a  Greek  or 
Roman   capital. 

Abbey.     The  buildings  of  a  monastery,  or  convent. 

Acanthus.  In  botany,  a  tall  plant  which  grows  in  southern  Europe. 
In  architecture  a  characteristic  ornament  derived  from,  and 
resembling  the  leaves  of  the  acanthus.     See  pages  48,  134. 

Adobe  (a-do'-bi).  Clay  or  soil  from  which  sun-dried  bricks  are 
made  in  countries  of  little  rain.  Also  the  name  given  to  the 
small  huts  or  houses  made  of  these  bricks,  as  "  adobe  houses." 
See  page  3. 

Aisle  (il).  Usually  merely  a  passageway  giving  access  to  seats;  but 
in  architecture  a  lateral  sub-division  of  a  church  parallel  to 
the  nave,  choir,  or  transept,  from  which  it  is  divided  by  piers 
or  columns.     See  pages  72,  loi,  102,  172. 

Ambo.     A   rostrum  or  pulpit. 

Amphitheater.  An  oval  or  circular  building  with  seats  rising 
above  and  behind  each  other  around  a  central  or  open  space. 
In  architecture  applied  to  ancient  edifices  of  this  description 
devoted    to    contests.     See    page    61. 

Antse.     Columns  or  pilasters  built  in  masonry. 

Apse  (aps).  A  recess,  semicircular  in  form,  covered  with  semi- 
circular arched  roof;  —  or  in  general,  any  semicircular  termina- 
tion in  a  church  usually  behind  the  choir..    See  pages  ^2,  141. 

Aqueduct.  A  channel  for  conducting  water  from  one  place  to 
another,  more  particularly  structures  of  masonry  for  conducting 
water  to  large  cities  as  shown  in  the  picture  on  page  52. 

Arabesque.  A  decorative  design  of  an  intricate  interlaced  character ; 
characteristic  of  Saracenic  or  eastern  architecture.  See  de- 
scription and  illustrations,  pages  16,  86. 

Arcade.  A  series  of  arches,  or  a  long  arched  passageway.  See 
illustration  on  page  100  showing  arcade  around  a  cloister. 

Arch.  A  structure  made  up  of  wedge-shaped  solids  to  support 
weight  above  an  opening.  See  illustrations  and  descriptions, 
pages  52  and  53. 

Architrave.  The  stone  laid  on  the  top  of  the  columns  in  a  classic 
building  to  support  the  roof-front.  Also  the  molding  around 
a  door  or  window  opening,  or  arch.     See  pages  35,  36. 

Arena.  The  inclosed  space  in  the  central  part  of  a  Roman  amphi- 
theater.    See  pages  58,  80. 

227 


228  Famous  Buildings 

Atrium.  Usually  an  entrance  hall.  In  early  Christian  buildings,  a 
hall  or  court  at  the  entrance  to  the  building.     See  page  72. 

Auditorium.  The  space  or  room  allotted  to  the  hearers  or  audi- 
ence. 

Balance.    Harmonious  arrangement  or  adjustment:  just  proportion, 

especially  in  the  arts  of  design.     See  pages  24,  129. 
Balcony.     A  platform  projecting  from  the  wall  of  a  building  and 

surrounded  by  a  railing. 
Balustrade.     An  ornamental  railing. 

Baptistery.     A  building,  or  portion  of  building,  in  which  is  admin- 
istered the  rite  of  baptism.     See  pages  100,  103,  108,   no,   166. 
Baroque.     The  name  applied  to  a  style  of  architecture  which  flour- 
ished in  the  i8th  century.     Distinguished  for  its  ornate  forms 

and  meaningless  scroll  work. 
Barrel  vault.     A   stone  or  brick  roof,  built  as  a  continuous   arch, 

either  semicircular   or  pointed. 
Base.     The  block  used  for  the  support  of  a  column.    Its  object  is 

to  distribute  the  weight  of  the  column. 
Basilica  Church.    The  name  given  to  the  type  of  early   Christian 

church  having  three  or  five  aisles  and  an  apse  at  one  end.     See 

pages  71-75,  77,  99,  loi. 
Battlement.     An  indented  wall  of  a  fort  or  city.    The  indentations 

are  called  embrasures.     See  page  113. 
Bay.     A  compartment  in  a  structure  separated  from  the  remainder 

by  an  arch,  buttress  or  vaulting.     In  a  church,  the  space  between 

one  column  and  the  next  in  a  nave,  is  a  bay. 
Beam.    A  horizontal  piece  bridging  over  a  space  underneath.     See 

pages  14,  21,  71. 
Belfry.     That  part  of  a  steeple  or  other  structure  from  which  a  bell 

is  hung.     See  about  bell-towers,  pages  97,  98,  104. 
Bell-tower.     A  tower  built  to  contain  bells. 
Boss.     A   small   projecting  block   of   stone,   commonly   carved   into 

a  foliage  design  :     Gothic. 
Bourse.     A    stock   exchange,   especially   the  one   at    Paris,    France. 

See  page  203. 
Buttress.    A  large  projection  from  the  face  of  a  wall  built  to  resist 

outward  pressure :     Gothic.     See  pages  17,  126,  128,  129,  130,  138, 

145- 

Campanile.  A  bell-tower.  Especially  in  Italy,  a  detached  tower 
built  to  contain  church  bells.  These  bell-towers  did  not  diminish 
towards  the  top,  and  the  openings  in  the  sides  usually  increased 
towards  the  top. 

Capital.  The  head  or  crown  of  a  column.  See  pages  35,  2i7y  38, 
78,  96,  145. 

Caryatids.  Female  figures  used  as  supports,  instead  of  columns. 
See   illustration,   page  46. 

Casement.  A  frame  for  glass  forming  a  window,  or  part  of  a  win- 
dow. 

Casing.     The  framework  around  a  door  or  window. 

Castellated.     Furnished  with  turrets  and  battlements  like  a  castle. 


Glossary  of  Terms  229 

Cella.     The  inner  portion  of  a  Greek  temple,  inclosed  in  solid  walls. 

See  pages  33,  43- 
Channels.     Shallow  curved  furrows  running  vertically  along  a  column 

separated  from  each  other  only  by  a  sharp  edge. 
Chateau  (sha-to').     A  large  stately  residence  usually  in  the  country. 

Chiefly  with  reference  to  France. 
Chevron.     A  variety  of  ornament  common  in  Romanesque  architec- 
ture.   Zig-zag  molding.     See  page  147. 
Choir.     The  part  of  a  church  occupied  by  the  singers. 
Citadel.     A  fortress  or  castle  near  a  city,  usually  for  defense.     Any 

strongly  fortified  place. 
Classic.     Having   the   characteristics   of   ancient    Greece   or    Rome, 

especially  their  literature  and  art.     See  pages  35,  125. 
Clerestory  (kler'-sto-ri).     Upper  portion  of  a  church  with  windows 

on  both  sides,  immediately  over  the  nave  and  rising  above  the 

aisles.     (Clear-story.)     See  pages  16,  73,  102,  152. 
Cloister.     An  arched  way  or  covered  walk.     See  description  on  pages 

99,  100. 
Colonnade.     A  series  of  columns  placed  at  certain  intervals.     See 

pages  105,  176,  190. 
Column.     A  cylindrical  body  or  shaft  standing  vertically.     See  de- 
scriptions and  illustrations,  pages  21,  26,  35,  53,  59,  64,  73,  75, 

79,  96,  102,  103,  no,  172. 
Composite.     A  Roman  order.     See  page  56. 
Concrete.     An  artificial  stone.     See  page  47. 
Corinthian.     A  Roman  order.     See  pages  34,  38,  47,  56,  58,  69. 
Cornice.     Horizontal   moldings   at   the   top  of  a   building   or   room. 

Also,  in  classic  architecture  the  upper  portion  of  the  entablature. 

See  pages  35,  36,  164,  172. 
Corbel.    A  stone  fixed  into  a  wall  but  projecting  from  it  in  order 

to   support   a   weight  above.     Common   in   Gothic   and   usually 

carved. 
Corona.     A  molding  forming  part  of  a  cornice,  the  under  side  of 

which  is  grooved  so  as  to  throw  off  rain. 
Court-yard.     A  court,  or  open  space  surrounded  by,  or  attached  to, 

a  house.     See  pages  84,  89,  90,  115,  117,  189. 
Crossing.     Name  given  to  the  central  space  at  the  intersection  of 

the  nave  and   transept. 
Crypt.     Originally  a  cloister ;  now  used  to  denote  a  subterranean 

chamber,  usually  vaulted,  beneath  a  church. 
Cupola.     A  small  dome-covered  structure  rising  above  the  main  part 

of  a  building. 

Dais  (da'-is).  A  platfonr  or  raised  floor  at  one  end  or  one  side 
of  a  reception  room  or  hall  upon  which  scats  are  placed  for 
distinguished  persons,  especially  such  a  platform  covered  witli 
a  crnopy. 

Dome.  A  great  arched  roof  surmounting  a  building.  See  descrip- 
tions and  illustrations,  pages  16,  65,  77,  78,  82,  92,  102,  166,  168. 

Doric.     A   Reman  order.     See  pages  28,  30,  34,  36,  37,  41,  42,  43, 

45.  56,  S&-  ,  ,        . 

Drawbridge.     ^    bridge   which    may  be   drawn    up   or   let   down    as 


I 


230  Famous  Buildings 

before  the  gate  of  a  town  or  castle  or  over  a  river.     See  page 

Drum.     The  circular  wall  on  which  a  dome  is  raised. 
Dungeon,     The  principal  tower  of  a  medieval  castle.     The  under- 
ground part  used  as  a  prison. 
Duomo.    A  cathedral;  properly  an  Italian  domed  cathedral. 

Echinus.  A  carved  ornamentation  of  the  ovolo,  or  rounded  mold- 
ing beneath  the  abacus. 

Elevation.  A  drawing  showing  one  face  of  an  object,  usually  a 
building,  only. 

Embrasure.  The  enlargement  of  the  aperture  of  a  door  or  window 
on  the  inside  of  the  wall.  Also  in  a  fort  the  opening  in  a  wall 
or  parapet  through  which  guns  are -pointed.  Also  the  indent 
at  the  top  of  a  battlement. 

Engaged  column.  A  column  built  into  a  wall  so  as  to  appear  as 
though  a  part  of  it  were  concealed.  See  descriptions  and  pic- 
tures, pages  18,  59,  161. 

Entablature.  In  classic  architecture  the  whole  super-structure  rest- 
ing on  the  columns.     See  pages  35,  36,  58,  67. 

Entasis.     The  outward  curvature  of  a  column.     See  pages  38,  39. 

Fagade.  The  principal  front  of  a  building,  especially  an  important 
one. 

Fillet.  A  small  round  or  angular  molding  separating  two  other 
larger  and  more  prominent  ones,  used  to  denote  the  upright 
bands  between  the  flutings  of  a  column. 

Flamboyant.  A  style  of  architectural  ornament  peculiar  to  France 
in  the  15th  century  —  derived  from  the  curved  flamelike  mold- 
ings. 

Fluting.     The  vertical  channeling  of  a  classic  column. 

Flying  buttress.  An  arched  buttress  reaching  from  the  wall  to  an- 
other buttress  outside  the  building.     See  page  129. 

Frieze.  A  long  band,  usually  decorated,  immediately  above  the 
architrave  and  cornice.     See  pages  35,  36,  43,  44. 

Gable.  The  triangular  space  of  wall  inclosed  at  the  ends  of  a  build- 
ing by  the  pitched  roof. 

Gargoyle.  A  spout  projecting  from  the  gutter  of  a  building,  or  con- 
nected with  it  by  an  opening,  for  carrying  off  water.     See  page 

.^33. 

Groin.     The  edge  formed  by  the  junction  of  two  surfaces  of  a  vault. 

Guild,  or  Gild.  An  association  for  the  promotion  of  common  inter- 
ests, especially  those  in  the  Middle  Ages.     See  page  124. 

Hypostyle.  Applied  to  an  arrangement  of  pillars,  of  which  the  two 
central  rows  are  higher  than  those  at  the  sides:  the  object  being, 
as  in  the  case  of  a  Gothic  clerestory,  to  throw  a  better  light  into 
the  interior. 

Igloo  (:g'-lo).  The  dome-shaped  hut  of  the  Eskimo  usually  built  of 
hard  blocks  of  snow.     See  page  3. 

Ionic.    A  Greek  order.     See  pages  34,  ziy  47i  56,  58. 


Glossary  of  Terms  231 

Jamb.    The  sides  of  a  door  or  window  opening. 

Joists.     Horizontal    pieces    deeper    than   their    thickness,    placed    in 

parallel  lines  from  wall  to  wall,  or  from  beam  to  beam,  to  carry 

a  floor. 

Keep.  The  stronghold  or  citadel  of  a  medieval  castle.  It  was  the 
strongest  tower  and  final  defense.  Also  called  dungeon.  See 
chapter  on  the  castle. 

Keystone.     The  central  stone  at  the  top  of  an  arch. 

Lattice.  Anything  made  or  covered  with  interwoven  strips;  specifi- 
cally a  window  blind  made  of  crossed  strips. 

Lancet  window.     A  narrow  pointed  window  named  from  its  shape. 

Lantern.  The  small  structure  topping  a  dome  or  tower  —  not  a 
cupola.     See  page  i68. 

Lintel.  A  beam  of  any  substance  forming  the  top  of  a  door  or  win- 
dow, to  carry  the  wall  above.     See  pages  9,  14,  15,  21,  39. 

Lunette.  A  small  aperture  or  window  especially  if  curved  or  cir- 
cular in  a  roof.  Also  a  work  of  art  of  such  a  shape  as  to  fill  a 
lunette. 

Loggia.  An  open  gallery  with  colonnade.  Usually,  but  not  neces- 
sarily, in  the  upper  story  of  a  building. 

Masonry.  The  work  produced  by  a  mason;  a  construction  of  stones 
fitted  together  with  mortar. 

Mass.     Bulk  in  general.     See  pages  10,  21,  25,  163,  195,  202. 

Medallion.  A  medal.  In  architecture  a  tablet  bearing  objects  in 
relief  applied  to  the  exterior  of  a  building. 

Medieval  (me-di-e'-val).  Pertaining  to,  or  characteristic  of  the  Mid- 
dle Ages. 

Metope.  A  panel  or  tablet  of  stone,  usually  square,  sometimes  ob- 
long, placed  at  regular  intervals  along  the  frieze  and  divided  by 
triglyphs,  generally  decorated  with  designs  or  groups  of  figures. 
Greek,  see  page  44. 

Molding.  A  molded  surface  running  along  continuously  in  buildings 
so  as  to  make  lines  and  contours  in  Tights  and  shadows,  as  on 
cornices,  string-courses,  window  jambs,  etc.  Common  forms  are 
the  ball-fiower,  dog-tooth,  canetto,  ovolo,  etc.  See  pages  39,  40, 
97,  131,  145,  149,  .164. 

Monolith.     In  one  piece  of  stone  —  usually  a  column.    See  page  44. 

Mosque.  A  Mohammedan  place  of  worship.  It  contains  a  fountain 
for  bathing,  and  besides  its  dome  or  domes,  has  a  minaret  to  call 
the  faithful  to  prayers.     See  pages  87,  92. 

Mosaic.  A  picture  made  of  small  pieces  of  colored  glass  or  stone 
or  marble.  These  are  set  in  cement  against  a  wall  or  dome  or 
other  surface  to  be  decorated.  Very  durable  and  at  a  distance 
cannot  be  distinguished  from  a  painting.  See  pages  T2),  74,  80, 
82,  83,  97-  . 

Mullion.     The  vertical  bars  dividing  a  window  into  separate  parts. 

Mutule.  Primarily  any  projection  from  the  surface  of  a  wall :  used 
especially  to  describe  the  square  block,  like  the  end  of  a  beam, 


232  Famous  Buildings 

appearing   at    regular    distances    above    the    frieze    of   a    Doric 
building. 

Nave.  The  central  portion  of  a  church.  See  pages  12,  16,  loi,  102, 
131,  146,  147. 

Octagonal.     Having  eight  equal  angles  and  eight  equal  sides. 
Order.     The  whole  design  of  a  column  and  entablature.     See  illus- 
trations and  descriptions,  pages  35  to  38. 
Ovolo.    Any  egg-shaped  molding. 

Pagoda.  A  Chinese  or  Japanese  temple  consisting  of  many  stories, 
each  having  its  own  up-curved  roof.     See  page  269. 

Parapet.  A  low  wall,  breast  high  only,  on  the  edge  of  a  tower  or 
gallery.     See  pages  113,  115,  116. 

Pavilion.  A  building,  isolated,  but  properly  in  relation  to  a  larger 
or  principal  structure,  as  the  pavilions  of  the  Louvre.  See 
page  190. 

Pedestal.     The  base  of  a  pillar.     That  which  serves  as  a  support. 

Pediment.  The  low  triangular  end  or  finish  of  a  portico  resem- 
bling a  gable,  in  Greek  temples.     See  pages  43,  103. 

Pentelic.  Pertaining  to  Mount  Pentelicus,  a  mountain  near  Athens : 
particular  as  to  its  fine  marble,  of  which  it  contained  almost 
inexhaustible  quantities. 

Peristylium.  The  interior  of  a  building  surrounded  by  columns,  as 
in  the  Greek  temples. 

Perspective.  In  perspective,  that  is,  seen  according  to  the  laws  of 
perspective.  Perspective  is  discussed  in  "  Famous  Pictures," 
pages  180,  182. 

Piazza.  ItaHan  pronunciation  (piat'-sa).  An  open  square  in  a  town, 
surrounded  by  buildings. 

Pier.  The  vertical  erection  from  which  an  arch  springs.  See  page 
.53- 

Pilaster.  A  vertical  projection  from  a  wall  built  out  in  imitation  of 
a  column,  but  flat  and  rectangular ;  it  is  part  of  the  wall. 

Pillar.    A  column  or  columnar  mass,  often  clustered.     See  Column. 

Pinnacle.  Any  relatively  small  structure  that  rises  above  a  roof 
or  caps  a  buttress.     See  pages  130,  138. 

Plate.  A  beam  or  piece  of  timber  laid  horizontally  in  a  wall  to  re- 
ceive the  ends  of  other  timbers. 

Plinth.  Masonry  at  the  base  of  a  column  which  connects  it  with 
the  ground. 

Porch.  An  exterior  addition  to  a  building  forming  a  covered  ap- 
proach to  a  doorway. 

Portico.  The  colonnaded  space  in  front  of  the  entrance  door  of  a 
classic  temple,  or  other  building.     More  important  than  porch. 

Portal.  An  entrance,  particularly  of  a  great  or  splendid  building. 
See  picture  of  Notre  Dame,  page  122. 

Portcullis.  A  strong  grating  made  to  slide  in  grooves  to  protect 
the  entrance  of  a  fortified  castle. 

Posticum.     Space  behind  the  cella  in  a  Greek  temple. 


Glossary  of  Terms  233 

Propylon.  A  monumental  gateway,  especially  Egyptian.  See  page 
27. 

Pronaos.     The  vestibule  of  a  Greek  temple. 

Proportion.  The  relation  of  one  part  to  another,  or  to  the  whole, 
with  respect  to  magnitude.  Symmetrical  arrangement  or  distri- 
bution.    See  pages  25,  39,  41,  -^z. 

Prostyle.  Porch  supported  by  a  row  of  columns,  open  on  three  sides 
and  surmounted  by  pediment. 

Pylon.    A  monumental  gateway  to  an  Egyptian  temple. 

Rafters.     Sloping  beams  supporting  the  upper  part  of  a  roof. 
Recess.    j\  receding  space,  a  niche,  or  alcove,  as  a  recess  in  a  wall. 
Reticulated.     Latticed,  like  the  meshes  of  a  net. 
Ribs.     In  vaulting,  a  sculptured  arch  supporting  a  vault.     See  pages 

17,  168. 
Rococo.     See  baroque,  and  pages  18,  19,  165,  202. 
Rotunda.     A  circular  hall  in  a  large  building,  generally  surmounted 

by  a  dome. 
Rood-screen.     Properly  an  open  gallery  placed   immediately  above 

the  chancel  screen  of  a  church,  in  which  the  Holy  Rood  or 

Cross  was  displayed:  but  also  used  of  a  chancel  screen  when 

surmounted  by  a  cross. 

Scroll.     Any  ornament  of  a  spiral  form. 

Shaft.     The  body  of  a  column  between  the  base  and  the  capital. 

Sill.     A  stone  or  piece  of  timber  upon  which  a  structure  rests,  as 

the  sills  of  a  house,  or  the  sill  of  a  door. 
Soffit.     The  flat  surface  on  the  lower  or  under  side  of  an  arch  or 

cornice. 
Spandrel.     The  triangular  surface-space  between  the  spring  of  an 

arch  and  its  square  frame.     See  page  69. 
Spire.    The  high  pointed  termination   of  a  tower.    See  pages  82, 

131,  146,  155.  _ 

Stall.     One  of  a  range  of  fixed  seats  mclosed  either  wholly  or  in 

part  at  the  back  and  sides  in  the  choir  or  chancel  of  a  church, 

often  richly  sculptured. 
Steeple.     A  lofty  structure  attached  to  a  church  or  public  edifice. 

Usually  contains  bells  and  surmounted  by  a  spire. 
String-course.     A  molding  run  horizontally  along  a  wall  to  mark  a 

division  of  stories  or  design  in  a  building. 
Structure.     A  building  of  any  kind.     Also  the  mode  of  building, 

arrangement  of  parts  and  elements.     See  pages  21,  22,  53,  71, 

138,  161,  162,  212. 
Stucco.     Cement  or  plaster  used  as  a  coating  for  walls.    Also  work 

made  of  stucco.     The  ornamenting  with  garlands  and  festoons 

of  stucco  for  exteriors  was  very  elaborate  in  the  times  of  the 

Romans  and  with  the  Italians  in  the  fifteenth  century. 
Super-structure.     Any  structure  built  on  something  else,  particularly 

an  edifice  with  reference  to  its  foundation. 
Symmetry.    The  exact  repetition  of  one-half  of  any  structure  by 

the  other  half  with  the  parts  arranged  in  reverse  order.    See 

pages  25,  139. 


234  Famous  Buildings 

Texture.    The  surface  quality  of  objects.     See  pages  87,  88,  89,  163. 
Thrust.     The  stress  which  acts  between  two  contiguous  bodies  when 

each  pushes  the  other  from  itself.     See  pages  65,  128,  129. 
Tile.     A  thin  slab  of  baked  clay  used  for  covering  roofs,  or  a  slab 

of   pottery   or    porcelain    usually   glazed    and   ornamented    and 

used  for  pavements,  walls  or  decorations. 
Tracery.     The  stone  which   frames  into  the  top  part  of  a  Gothic 

or  other  window.    Any  permanent  open  work  built  into  the  head 

of  a  window.    See  pages  130,  131,  147. 
Transept.     A  transverse  nave  crossing  the  central  nave  from  north 

to  south.     See  pages  96,  139. 
Triforium.     An  open  arcaded  gallery  of  arches  running  immediately 

beneath  the  clerestory,  and  above  the  pillars  of  the  nave.     Gothic. 
Triglyphs.     Triple  upright  grooves  channeled  in  the  spaces  between 

the  metopes,  and  together  with  these,  forming  the  frieze. 
Truss.     A   method   of   framing  timber   or   iron.     A  combination   of 

timber,  iron  or  steel  so  arranged  as  to  constitute  an  unyielding 

frame. 
Turret.     A   small  tower   rising   from  or  otherwise  connected  with 

a  larger  building. 
Tympanum.     The  triangular  space  in  a  gable  end,  or  at  the  head  of 

an  arch. 

Vault.     Any   masonry   built    arched    roof,    the    materials    of    which 

mutually  support  and  sustain  themselves  upon  their  abutments. 

See  pages  58,  65,  95,  96,  99,  109,  130,  138. 
Vaulting.     Vaulted  work.     See  perspective  of  vaulting  on  page  141. 
Veneer.     A  thin  coating  covering  a  wall  or  other  body.     See  pages 

79,80,83. 
Vermicular.     Marked  with  worm-like  lines.     See  page  191. 
Villa.     A  country  seat;  properly  one  of  some  size. 
Void.    An  unoccupied  space. 
Volute.     A   spiral   scroll ;   especially  the  characteristic  ornament  of 

an  Ionic  capital.     See  page  37. 

Wagon-vault.     A  semicyclindrical  vault,  or  barrel  vault. 

Wheel-window.  A  large  circular  window  with  tracery  radiating 
from  the  center.  Practically  the  same  as  rose-window  although 
a  wheel  window  usually  has  the  spokes  more  or  less  suggested 
See  pages  135,  139. 


TABLE  OF  BUILDINGS 

The  following  table  is  compiled  chiefly  from  information  fur- 
nished by  Superintendents  of  Schools  or  City  Architects. 
After  reading  about  some  of  the  world's  great  buildings  and 
about  the  different  styles  of  Architecture,  we  ought  to  visit 
the  best  examples  in  our  own  vicinity.  In  general  these  build- 
ings do  not  represent  a  style  in  its  purity,  but  combine  features 
of  one  or  more.  To  analyze  the  buildings  of  our  own  city  in 
the  light  of  what  we  have  learned  is  a  pleasant  lesson  and  will 
prepare  us  the  better  to  enjoy  the  world's  finest  architecture 
when  we  come  to  see  it.  If  you  will  take  out  your  camera  and 
go  on  a  hunt  for  bits  of  architecture,  you  will  be  surprised  and 
pleased  at  the  results.  Choice  bits  of  carving,  columns,  capi- 
tals and  detail  are  to  be  found  in  all  our  cities,  and  the  pic- 
tures will  be  something  to  keep,  and  often  well  worth  enlarging 
and  framing. 

BALTIMORE 

Eg3^tian:  The  Battle  Monument  (Egyptian  detail,  marble), 
Gateway  to  Westminster  Presbyterian  Church  which  opens  into 
cemetery  where  Edgar  Allan  Poe  is  buried.  Greek:  The  Sav- 
ings Bank  of  Baltimore  (white  marble),  McKim  School. 
Romanesque:  St.  Mark's  Lutheran  Church,  First  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  Gothic:  First  Presbyterian  Church.  Sara- 
cenic: Maryland  Casualty  Building  (mixture).  Colonial: 
Homewood  (Charles  Street  extended  and  University  Parkway 
—  brick  and   stone). 

BOSTON 

Egyptian:  Gateway  Mt.  Auburn,  Cambridge;  Granary  Bury- 
ing Ground,  Boston.  Greek:  Suffolk  Bank  Scollay  Square 
Base;  Custom  House,  State  Street  (both  Doric).  Roman: 
r^enway  fagade  of  Evans  Galleries,  Museum  of  Fine  Arts. 
Byzantine:  Synagogue.  Romanesque:  Old  Law  School,  Cam- 
bridge; Sever  Hall;  Trinity  Church,  Boston  (Richardson  Archi- 
tect). Gothic:  Central  Church,  Berkely  and  Newbury  Streets; 
All  Saints'  Church,  Brookline.  Renaissance:  Public  Library, 
(McKim),  (French).  Church,  Audubon  Circle  (English),  Tre- 
mont  Temple  (Venetian).  Colonial:  Old  State  House,  Interior 
King's  Chapel,  Present  State  House.  Park  Street  Church,  Wil- 
bur Theater  (Georgian).  Saracenic:  Interior  Tremont  Tem- 
ple, many  doorways  on  Chestnut  Street. 

235 


236  Famous  Buildings 

CHICAGO 

Roman:  Art  Institute  (Bedford  stone).  Greek:  Art  Palace, 
Jackson  Park  (stucco  on  brick);  Present  Field  Museum. 
Romanesque:  Newberry  Library  (light  granite).  Gothic: 
Harper  Memorial,  University  of  Chicago.  Renaissance:  Har- 
old McCormick  residence  at  Lake  Forest  (Italian,  stucco  on 
brick).  Saracenic:  Medina  Temple  at  Jackson  and  Fifth 
Streets  (office  building,  Moorish  detail  in  terra  cotta).  Colo- 
nial: Kenwood  Club  (brick). 

CINCINNATI 

Roman:  Israel  Temple  (Avondale),  Soldiers  and  Sailors  Me- 
morial Building,  Elm  Street  (Rock  castle  stone).  Greek: 
Schmidlapp  Memorial;  Sculpture  Hall  in  connection  with  the 
Art  Museum,  Eden  Park  (Bedford  stone);  Old  Lafayette- 
Franklin  Bank.  Romanesque:  Building  at  entrance  to  Spring 
Grove  Cemetery  (limestone  with  sandstone  trimmings).  City 
Hall,  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Building.  Gothic:  St.  Francis  de  Sales' 
Church;  Walnut  Hills  Scottish  Rite  Temple;  St.  Xavier's 
Church;  St.  Mary's  Church,  Covington;  Dexter  Chapel.  Ren- 
aissance: Guilford  Public  School  (Italian),  Business  Men's  Club 
(Venetian),  Union  Central  Life  Insurance  Building  (skyscraper 
adaptation).  Saracenic:  Jewish  Temple  at  Eighth  and  Plum 
Streets  (brick  and  stone).  Colonial:  Charles  P.  Taft  residence 
(wood),  Women's  Club  (brick  and  stone),  Avondale  Athletic 
Club.  Byzantine:  Herbivora  Building  at  the  Zoological  Gar- 
dens  (concrete). 

CLEVELAND 

Egyptian:  The  County  Morgue.  Roman:  Post  Office  and 
City  Hall.  Neo-Roman:  County  Court  House,  First  National 
Bank,  Cleveland  Trust  Co.  Building.  Greek:  Andrew's  Mauso- 
leum, Brook's  Mausoleum,  Wade  Memorial  Chapel,  Hanna  Me- 
morial. Gothic:  Trinity  Cathedral,  Euclid  Avenue  Presby- 
terian Church.  Renaissance:  Union  Club,  Leader  Building. 
Saracenic:  Euclid  Avenue  Temple. 

COLUMBUS 

Greek:  State  Capitol  Building  (Doric).  Renaissance:  Car- 
negie  Library    (marble). 

DENVER 

Roman:  The  Public  Library  (sandstone,  Corinthian).  Greek: 
The  new  Post  Office  and  United  States  Court  Building  (modi- 
fied Ionic  —  marble).  Romanesque:  East  Side  High  School. 
Gothic:  Roman  Catholic  Cathedral.  Saracenic:  El  Jebel  Tem- 
ple.    Colonial:  The  Denver   Country   Club. 


Table  of  Buildings  237 

DETROIT 

Roman:  Detroit  Fire  and  Marine  Insurance  Co.  Building 
(modern  adaptation  of  Roman  motives  and  detail).  Greek: 
^lausoleum  in  Woodlawn  Cemetery  for  F.  J.  Hecker  (Grecian 
Ionic,  white  marble).  Romanesque:  Bits  of  Masonic  Temple, 
Lafayette  Avenue  (Italian).  Gothic:  St.  Paul's  Cathedral;  Fort 
Street  Presbyterian  Church  (English  perpendicular);  Mortuary 
Chapel,  Woodlawn.  Renaissance:  People's  State  Bank  (Italian, 
white  marble).  Colonial:  R.  A.  Alger's  house,  Crosse  Pointe 
Farms  (English-Georgian),  University  Club. 

HARTFORD 

Greek:  State  Library  and  Supreme  Court  Building.  Gothic: 
St.  Joseph's  Cathedral;  Christ  Church;  Wadsworth  Atheneum 
(Tudor).  Renaissance:  State  Capitol;  Morgan  Memorial  Art 
Gallery.     Colonial:  New  Municipal  Building. 

INDIANAPOLIS 

Roman:  The  Federal  Building  (stone).  Greek:  Portico  of 
Asylum  for  the  Blind,  The  Masonic  Temple  (Greco-Roman, 
stone).  Gothic:  Christ  Episcopal  Church  (English-Gothic, 
stone),  St.  Mary's  Church  (compare  with  Cologne  Cathedral). 
Renaissance:  Old  Fletcher  American  Bank  Building,  The 
Deutsche  Haus  (east  half  is  good  German  renaissance).  Colo- 
nial: House  of  Meredith  Nicholson. 

KANSAS  CITY 

Egyptian:  Stine  Undertaking  Co.'s  Building  (exterior  of 
terra  cotta,  good  example).  Roman:  New  Union  Station 
(stone,  style  somewhat  modified).  Greek:  Temple  B'nai  Je- 
hudah  (stone,  good  example).  Romanesque:  Trinity  Episcopal 
Church  (stone,  style  mixed  with  Byzantine).  Gothic:  First 
Congregational  Church  (stone,  English  Gothic).  Renaissance: 
Public  Library  (stone,  good  example  of  Italian  renaissance). 
Colonial:  Residence  3538  Gillham  Road  (red  brick,  good  ex- 
ample). 

LOUISVILLE 

Roman:  Jewish  Synagogue.  Greek:  Southern  National 
Bank  Building  (while  this  is  a  small  building,  it  is  of  more 
than  ordinary  merit).  Romanesque:  Library  of  the  Baptist 
Seminary  (poor  example).  Gothic:  St.  Paul's  Cathedral 
(mixed).  Renaissance:  Presbyterian  Theological  Seminary 
(beautiful  example  of  English).  Colonial:  Residence  of  Mr. 
Wilson  Cochran,  Douglas   Boulevard. 

LOS  ANGELES 

Roman:  Lincoln  High  School  is  Roman  Doric  in  general 
design,  Aragon  Avenue  School  is  of  the  Tuscan  order.     Greek: 


238  Famous  Buildings 

Santa  Barbara  Avenue  School.  Renaissance:  Malabar  Street 
School  is  taken  somewhat  from  the  brick  architecture  of  the 
Italian  Renaissance;  Boyle  Heights  Intermediate  School  is 
Lombard-Italian  style;  the  H.  W.  Hellman  Building,  Fourth 
and  Spring  Streets,  is  of  the  architecture  of  the  Renaissance 
period.  (Due  to  150-ft.  sky  line  restrictions,  the  architecture 
of  the  largest  office  buildings  has  become  an  almost  distinctive 
style,  which  could  be  called  a  modern  adaptation  of  the  old 
Classical  architecture,  with  an  occasional  attempt  at  Renais- 
sance; there  are  no  very  pure  examples  of  the  architecture  of 
either  of  these  periods.)  Saracenic:  Temple  of  B'nai  B'rith, 
Ninth  and  Hope  Streets;  Ocean  Park  Bath  House,  Ocean  Park, 
Cal.  Gothic:  First  Congregational  Church,  Hall  of  Records 
(not  pure).  Notes:  Manual  Arts  High  School  is  copied  some- 
what from  the  Old  Mexican  style  of  architecture,  or,  it  could 
be  called  "Southern  California"  style, —  no  pure  style.  The 
Virgil  Avenue  School  is  taken  from  the  old  Spanish  brick  and 
plaster  architecture  (no  pure  style).  Western  Avenue  School 
is  rather  of  the  Art  Nouveau.  Wadsworth  Avenue  School  is 
Spanish  Mission  style. 

MILWAUKEE 

Greek:  Marshall  and  Ilsley  Bank  Building  (stone  and  mar- 
ble); Layton  Art  Gallery  (stone  and  marble).  Gothic:  Uni' 
tarian  Church  (brick);  St.  James'  Episcopal  Church  (brick)- 
Renaissance:  Milwaukee  Public  Library  and  Museum  (stone 
and  marble). 

MINNEAPOLIS 

Gothic:  St.  Mark's  Church.  Renaissance:  Alice  Shevlin  Hall, 
University  of  Minnesota;  New  Art  Gallery.  Colonial:  L.  H. 
Farrington    Residence;    E.    L.    Carpenter    Residence. 

NEWARK 

Roman:  Mutual  Benefit  Life  Insurance  Co.  (home  office 
building,  white  marble).  Romanesque:  Prudential  Life  In- 
surance Company  (home  office  buildings,  limestone).  Col- 
legiate Gothic:  Newark  Normal  School  (variegated  red  brick 
and  light  gray  terra  cotta).  Gothic:  High  Street  Presbyterian 
Church  (brown  stone).  Italian  Renaissance:  National  State 
Bank  Building  (cream  colored,  semi-glazed,  terra  cotta).  Colo- 
nial: No  public  buildings,  but  several  good  examples  among 
private  houses.  The  First  Presbyterian  Church,  Trinity 
Church,  (both  brown  stone).  Georgian:  Cleveland  Grammar 
school  (red  brick  and  gray  terra  cotta). 

NEW  ORLEANS 

Egyptian:  U.  S.  Custom  House  (not  decidedly  Egyptian). 
Roman:  Main  Library  (good  example  of  Roman  Corinthian). 
Greek:   City  Hall   (Grecian  Ionic).     Romanesque:   Howard  Li- 


Table  of  Buildings  239 

brary  (H.  H.  Richardson,  Architect).  Gothic:  Loyola  College 
(Collegiate  Gothic).  Renaissance:  U.  S.  Post  Office  (Italian). 
Saracenic:  Jesuit  Church  (Moorish  Architecture).  Colonial: 
Cabildo  (Spanish  Colonial). 

NEW  YORK  CITY 

Roman:  Knickerbocker  Trust  Company's  Building;  Madison 
Square  Presbyterian  Church  (Corinthian);  Pennsylvania  R.  R. 
Station  (Neo-Roman).  Byzantine:  Unitarian  Church  at  Fourth 
Avenue  and  Twentieth  Street.  Saracenic:  Temple  Emanuel, 
Fifth  Avenue;  Interior  Casino  Theater.  Romanesque:  St.  Bar- 
tholomew's Church  (carved  frieze  and  bronze  doors);  Paulist 
I'athers'  Church.  Gothic:  St.  Patrick's  Cathedral;  St.  Thomas's 
Church,  Fifth  Avenue  (French);  Residence  of  W.  K.  Vander- 
bilt  (sixteenth  century  Gothic).  Renaissance:  N.  Y.  Herald 
Building  (Italian);  Tiffany's  Building  on  Fifth  Avenue  (Pal- 
ladian);  University  Club,  Fifth.  Avenue  and  Fifty-fourth 
Street  (Florentine);  Public  Library  (Louis  XVI  style); 
Branch  Library,  No.  29  (Florentine);  Schwab  Residence  on 
Riverside  Drive    (French   (Chateau).     Colonial:  Jumel   Mansion. 

PITTSBURGH 

Roman:  Bank  of  Pittsburgh  (Fourth  Avenue).  Romanesque: 
Masonic  Hall  (except  first  story).  Byzantine:  Epiphany 
Church.  Romanesque:  Court  House  (very  good).  Gothic: 
Calvary  Church,  St.  Peter's  Church,  Trinity  Church. 

PROVIDENCE 

Greek:  Manning  Hall,  Brown  University.  Romanesque: 
Central  Baptist  Church  (Italian  type);  Gymnasium  Brown  Uni- 
versity (French  type).  Gothic:  Grace  Church;  St.  Stephen's 
Church.  Renaissance:  Rhode  Island  State  House.  Colonial: 
Spire  of  First  Baptist  Church,  designed  by  James  Gibbs,  one 
of  the  best  Georgian  spires  in  America.       , 

RICHMOND,  VA. 

Egyptian:  Medical  College  of  Virginia,  corner  Thirteenth  and 
Marshall  Streets.  Roman:  Cathedral,  Laurel  and  Park  Ave- 
nue. Greek:  First  Baptist  Church,  Twelfth  and  Broad  Streets. 
Romanesque:  Included  this  with  the  Roman.  Gothic:  Second 
Baptist  Church,  Adams  and  Franklin  Streets.  Renaissance: 
Scott  Residence,  909  West  Franklin;  Baskerville  Residence, 
Boulevard  and  Beverly  Street.  Colonial:  St.  John's  Church, 
Twenty-fourth  and  Broad  Streets. 

SALT   LAKE  CITY 

Gothic:  First  Presbyterian  Church  and  St.  Mary's  (Catholic) 
Cathedral.     (Neither     is    pure     Gothic.)     Renaissance:  Federal 


240  Famous  Buildings 

(Post   Office)    Building   (good   example   stone).     Colonial:  Bee- 
hive House. 

SAN  FRANCISCO 

Egyptian:  Museum  in  the  Golden  Gate  Park  (in  its  massive- 
ness,  sloping  walls,  columns  and  decorative  features,  but  not 
in  material).  Roman:  Central  portion  of  the  United  States  Mint 
is  a  good  reproduction  of  the  exterior  of  a  Roman  Doric  Tem- 
ple. Romanesque:  The  Catholic  St.  Mary's  Cathedral.  Also 
the  portal  and  many  decorative  features  of  the  Mills  Building. 
Gothic:  The  Episcopal  Cathedral  (just  begun);  First  Unitarian 
and  St.  Paul's  Churches.  Renaissance:  The  Claus  Sprechel's 
Residence  (French);  Scottish  Rite  Temple  (Italian);  The  Ger- 
man House.  Chinese:  Chinese  Telephone  Offices,  a  small  re- 
production of  a  Chinese  temple.  Colonial:  The  two  Lilienthal 
Residences,  corner  of  Gough  and  California  Streets.  Japanese: 
Entrance,  private  house,  and  Tea  House  of  the  Golden  Gate 
Park  Japanese  Tea  Garden. 

SEATTLE 

Greek:  American  Savings  Bank  Building.  Romanesque: 
Mutual  Life  Building;  New  York  Block.  Gothic:  Trinity 
Church;  First  Baptist  Church;  Henry  Memorial  Church. 
Renaissance:  Seattle  Public  Library;  United  States  Post  Office 
Building;  Roman  Catholic  Cathedral;  Franklin  High  School. 
Colonial:  Robinson  Apartments;  Plymouth  Church;  L.  D. 
Lewis  Residence;  Brownell  Residence. 

SYRACUSE 

Roman:  Central  High  School;  County  Court  House;  Syra- 
cuse University  Gymnasium  (Pseudo-Classic).  Romanesque: 
Crouse  College,  Syracuse  University  (Richardson).  Gothic: 
St.  John  the  Evangelist  Church;  First  Presbyterian  Church 
(Tudor   Gothic).     Colonial:  Leavenworth   Homestead. 

PHILADELPHIA 

Egyptian:  Moyamensing  Prison.  Roman:  Girard  Trust 
Building  (Greco-Roman).  Greek:  Girard  College.  Custom 
House.  Romanesque:  University  Museum.  Gothic:  St.  Mark's 
(English);  Church  of  the  Advocate  (French).  Renaissance: 
Horticultural  Hall,  Broad  above  Spruce.  Saracenic:  Lulu  Tem- 
ple.    Colonial:  Carpenters'  Hall,  Independence  Hall. 

WASHINGTON 

Greek:  U.  S.  Patent  Office  (Doric);  Treasury  (Ionic). 
Romanesque:  Church  of  the  Covenant  (by  Richardson). 
Gothic:  Church  of  the  Ascension,  12th  and  Mass.  Ave.  Re- 
naissance: Public  Library  (Italian).  Colonial:  D.  A.  R.  Hall, 
17th  St.,  Mt.  Vernon. 


INDEX 


For  proper  names,  not  in  this  index,  see  List  of  Proper  Names 
on  pages  221-225.  For  technical  terms,  not  in  the  index,  see  Glossary 
on  pages  227-234.  "  G  "  in  the  following  list  means  that  the  word 
will  be  found  defined  in  the  Glossary. 


Abutment,  53,  78. 
Acropolis,  G,  2)7^  44- 
Acanthus,  G,  48,   134. 
Adaptation,  9,  44,  205,  211. 
Adobe,  G,  3. 
Agra,  91. 

Aisle,  G,  72,  10 1,  102,  172. 
Aix,   123. 
Algiers,  85. 

Altar,  72,  102,  108,  141. 
Alhambra,  89-91. 
America,  206-216. 
Amphitheater,  G,  61. 
Antwerp,   17. 
Apse,  G,  72. 
Apsidal,  141. 
Aqueduct,  G,  52. 
Arabs,  85. 

Arabesque,  G,   16,  86. 
Arabic,   16. 

Arcade,  G,  72,  100,  103. 
Arch,   G,   14.    15,  49,  52,  53,  54, 
86,  92,  95,  103,  no,  127,  128, 
130,  143,  145. 

Triumphal,  51,  67.  80. 

of  Constantine,  67,  68,  69. 

of  Titus,  69,  70. 
Architecture,  defined,  3. 

Principles  of,  7-12. 

Terms  used  in,  12. 
Architecture,  Story  of,   12,   13. 

Styles  of,  13. 

Table  of  styles,  16-19. 

of  the  Home,  206-208,  209. 
Archeology,  52. 
Architrave,  35,  Z^^. 
Architects,  29,   70,    126,  and   see 
Proper  Names. 

241 


Arena,  G,  58,  80. 
Arthur,   118,   120. 
Assisi,  125. 
Assyrians,  13. 
Attic,  G,  69. 
Atrium,  G,  72. 


Balance,  G,  24,  129. 

Balcony,  G,  90. 

Bank  of  England,  203. 

Baptistery,  G,  100,  103,  108,  no, 

166. 
Barbicon,  115. 
Bargello  Palace,  172. 
Barons,  113. 

Baroque,  G,  165,  and  see  Rococo. 
Basilica,   G,   71,   ^2,   72,   yj,   79, 

loi. 
Base,  G,  35. 
Baths,  51,  54,  55,  67. 
Battlement,  G,  113. 
Beam,  G,  14,  21,  71. 
Beauty,  7,  8,   10,  22,  26,  32,  22,, 

44,  46,  60,  81,  82,  100. 
Belfry,  G,  107. 
Belgium,  17. 

Bell-towers,  G,  97,  98,  104. 
British  Museum,  203. 
Bronze  doors,  79. 
Building  material,  4. 
Bulfinch  (Charles),  214,  215. 
Buttress,    G,    17,    126,    128,    129, 

130,  138,  145- 
Byzantine  Architecture,  77-83. 
Features  of,  77,  78. 
Also  95,  99,  183. 


242 


Index 


Cambio,  151. 
Cairo,  29,  86,  91. 
Caliphs,  85,  86. 
Campanile,   G,  81,    104. 
Campo-santo,  G,  100,  107. 
Canterbury  cathedral,  109,  148. 
Capital,  G,  35,  ZT,  38,  78,  96,  145- 
Capitol,  Washington,  210,  211. 
Carving,  82,  and  see  Sculptures. 
Caryatids,  G,  46. 
Casement,  G. 
Castellated,  G,  118. 
Castello,  St.  Angelo,  54. 
Castle,  112-121. 

Features  of,  115,  116. 
Cathedral  Builders,  123. 
Cella,  G,  33,  43. 
Channels,  G. 
Chapel,  117,  119. 
Chateau,  G. 
Chevron,  G. 
China,  91,  219,  220. 
Chronological  Table,  16-19. 
Choir,  G,  102,  132. 
Churches,  71. 
Cimabue,  152,  153. 
Citadel,  G. 
Classical,  G,  35,  125. 
Clerestory,  G,  16,  "jz,  102,  132. 
Climate,  4,  42,  139. 
Cloister,  G,  99,  100. 
Cluny,  17. 

Clustered  columns,  146. 
Color,  16,  21,  26,  78,  79,  81,  83, 

86,  87,  88,  90,  99,    135,   150, 

163,  185,  196. 
Colonnade,  G,  105,  176,  190. 
Column,  G,  21,  26,  35,  53,  59,  64, 

12),  75,  79,  96,  102,   103,  no, 

172. 
Composite  order,  G,  56. 
Composition,  25. 
Concrete,  G,  49. 
Constantine,  71,  "JT- 

Arch  of,  67,  68,  69. 
Convenience,  9,   11,  208. 
Constantinople,  ^^. 
Corinthian  order,  G,  34,  38,  47, 

56,  58,  69. 
Cornice,  G,  35,  36,  164,  172. 
Courts,  G,  90,  115,  117,  189. 


Court  of  Lions,  84,  89. 
Crossing,  G. 
Crypt,  G. 
Cupola,  G,  lOI. 

Dais,  G. 

Dante,  169,  170. 

Decorated  style,  17,  146,  147. 

Decoration,  10,  22,  53,  y},,  74,  78, 

86,  90. 
Design,  92,  138. 
Development,  71,  79,  93,  126,  127, 

141,  162,  165. 
Diana,  47. 
Dignity,  119. 
Dijon,  G. 

Doges'  palace,  81,  98,  183-187. 
Domes,  G,  16,  65,  TJ,  78,  82,  92, 

102,  166,  168. 
Donatello,  167. 
Doorways,  87,  88,   132,   133,   163, 

172. 
Doric  order,  G,  28,  30,  34,  36,  2,T, 

41,  42,  43,  45,  56,  58. 
Drachenfels,  114. 
Drawbridge,  G. 
Drum,  G. 

Ducal  palace.     See  Doge's  palace. 
Dungeon,  G,  116. 
Duration,  26,  29. 
Duomo,  G,  103,  166-170. 
Durham  cathedral,  no. 

Early  Christian  Architecture,  71- 

75- 

Features  of,  72.     See  also  93. 
Early  English  Style,  146,  147,  149. 
Eastern,  TJ. 
Edfou,  16,  21,  27. 
Egg  and  dart,  40. 
Egyptians,  14,  16,  31,  51,  85. 
Egyptian  Architecture,  20-39. 

l^eriods  of,  20. 

Features  of,  21,  22. 

Temples  of,  26,  27,  28,  2)2>,  73- 

Anecdotes  of,  29,  201. 
Elizabeth,  118,  121. 
Embrasure,  G. 

Engaged  columns,  G,  18,  59,  161. 
England  —  Gothic  in,  144-150. 

—  Renaissance  in,  193-200. 


Index 


243 


Entablature,  G,  35,  36,  58,  67. 
Entasis,  38,  39. 

Erechtheum,  16,  37,  40,  46,  47. 
Essentials  —  table  of,   11. 
Ethical  Topics. 

Admiration,  40. 

Aspiration,  31,  140. 

Beauty,  7,  8,  10,  22,  26,  32,  33, 
44,  46,  60,  81,  82,  100. 

Borrowing,  28. 

Calmness,  33. 

Character,    170. 

Civic  pride,   140. 

Compassion,  83. 

Deception,  22. 

Devotion,   124. 

Doing,  66. 

Duty,  39. 

Equality,  32. 

Freedom,  31,  49,  140,  159,  201. 

Gladiatorial  contests,  61. 

Justice,  83. 

Manners,  42. 

Memories,  197. 

Poverty,  30,  83. 

Religion,  140. 

Simplicity,  42. 

Sloping  man,  23. 

Thrift,   173. 

Ugly  surroundings,  '7. 

Utility,  67. 
Etruscan,  G,  54. 
Etrurian,  G,  54. 

Expression,  25,  45,  59,  117,   139, 
140,  141,  166,  205. 

Fagade,  G,   161,  163. 

Fan  tracery,  131. 

Fillet,  G. 

Fitness,  6,  7,  8,   11,  46,  59,  205, 

208. 
Flamboyant,  G,  131. 
Florence,  160,  171. 
Florence  cathedral,  150,  151,  158, 

166-170. 
Fluting,  G. 
Flying  buttress,  G,  17,  129,   130, 

138,  145,  146. 
Fontainebleau,  188. 
Forest,  134. 
Forms,  9. 


Fortress,  117,  189,  and  see  Castle. 
France,    24,    123,    129,    136,    161, 
188,  199. 

Gabriel  (Jacques),  192. 
Gable,  G. 
Galileo,  108. 
Gargoyle,  G,  133. 
Gate,  115. 

of  Justice,  90. 
Gateway,  27,  31. 
Georgian,  210. 
Germany,    17,    19,   93,    no,    123, 

154. 
Ghiberti,  167,  168. 
Giotto's  Tower,  151,  152, 
Glass,   17,   134,  135,   136,   139. 
Gloucester  cathedral,  131. 
Gothic  architecture,  123-156. 

Features  of,  126-136. 

English  Gothic,  143-150. 

Also  see,  15,  17,  18,  19,  48,  72, 
78,  91,  97,  99,  1x6,  125,  157, 
162,  166,  183,  184,  204. 
Granada,  85. 
Grand  canal,   186. 
Greece,  4,  161. 
Greek  Architecture,  31-48. 

Features  of,  33,  34,  41. 

Anecdotes,   48. 
Grotesque,  139. 
Groin,  G. 
Guilds,  G,  124. 

Haddon  Hall,  193. 
Hall,  116. 
Harmony,  41. 
Hellenic,  32. 
Hieroglyphics,  26,  27. 
History,   13. 
Horseshoe  arch,  86. 
Houses  of  Parliament,  204. 
Hypostyle,  G,  27,  28. 

Tgloo,  G,  3. 

India,   13,  91,  217,  218,  219. 

Independence  Hall,   197. 

Interior,  73,  82. 

Ionic,  G,  34,  37,  47,  56,  58,  203. 

Irving,  90. 


244 


Index 


Italy,  93,   123 ;   and   see  Renais- 
sance. 

Jain  architecture,  218. 

Jamb,  G. 

Japanese,  13,  91,  219,  220. 

Joists,  G. 

Jefferson   (Thomas),  213,  214. 

Jones  (Inigo),  19,  193,  199. 

Justinian,  77. 

Karnac,  16,  21,  27,  28,  29. 
Keep,  G,  115,  116,  119. 

Lake-dwellers,  207. 
Lancet  arch,  86,  87. 
Landscape,  44,  81. 
Lantern,  G,   168. 
Latin  cross,  loi. 
Leaning  Tower,  106. 
Lighting,  62. 
Lincoln  cathedral,  17. 
Lines,  39. 

Lintel,  G,  9,  14,  15,  21,  39. 
Lion  Gateway,  31. 
Lion  of  St.  Mark,  184. 
Location,  44,  8t,  186,  187. 
Log  cabin,  207,  208. 
London,  193-197. 
Lost  arts,  20. 
Louvain,  17. 
Louvre,  189-191,  204. 
Lunette,  G,  80. 
Luxor,  16,  21. 

Madeleine  (Paris),  203. 

Mahaffy,  45. 

Maison  Caree,  59. 

Marmion,  112. 

Masonry,  G,  52,  54,  138,  189,  190. 

Mass,  G,  ID,  21,  25,  163,  19s,  202. 

Medici,  160. 

Metope,  G,  44. 

Michaelangelo,  108,  159,  160,  169, 

181,  182. 
Michelozzo,  173. 
Middle    Ages,    7,    124,    132,    140, 

142. 
Milan,  cathedral,  156,  179,  201. 
Minaret,  86. 
Moat,  115. 


Mohammedan,  15,  16,  85,  217. 
Moldings,   39,   40,   97,    131,    145, 

149,  164. 
Monks,  16. 
Monolith,  80. 
Moorish,  85.  88,  89. 
Moors,  85,  89. 
Moresque,  16. 
Morocco,  87. 

Mosaic,  73,  74,  80,  82,  83,  97. 
Moslem,  85. 
Mosque,  G,  87,  92. 
Mount  Vernon,  206,  209,  210. 
Music,  25. 
Mycenae,  31. 

Nave,   G,   12,   16,   loi,   102,    131, 

146,  147. 
Neo-Greek,  203. 
Neo-Roman,  211. 
Nile,  3. 

Nomadic  tribes,  207. 
Norman,   14,    109,   no,   113,   116, 

143,   145,   146. 
Notre  Dame,  Paris,  17,  122,  136- 

142. 

Obelisk,  28,  29. 
Opera  House,  Paris,  204. 
Oratories,  124. 
Orders,   16,  35-38. 
Oriental,   77. 

Oriental    architecture,   217-220. 
Ornament,  10,  24,  36,  39,  41,  45, 
162. 

Pagoda,  G,  219. 

Painted  glass,  134,  135,  136,  139, 

140,  151. 
Palaces,   163,   171. 
Palladio,    187,   188. 
Palazzo  Vecchio,   171. 
Pantheon,  49,  54,  62-67,  i83- 
Parapet,  G,  113,  115. 
Parish  Church,  197,  198. 
Parthenon,    Fpc,    16,  31,   33,   34, 

38,  42-46. 
Pattern,  86,  90,  135,  185. 
Pediment,  G,  43,  103. 
Pentelic,  G. 
Pepys,  118. 


Index 


245 


Pericles,  16,  32,  48. 
Perpendicular,  17,  146,  148. 
Perrault,   190. 
Persians,  14,  32. 
Perspective,  G,  109,  141,  142. 
Phidias,  16,  32,  43,  45,  48. 
Photography,  88. 
Pictures,  25. 
Piers,  G,  53,  58,  128. 
Pilaster,   G. 
Pinnacles,  G,  130,  138. 
Pisa,  16,  73,  93,  94. 

Cathedral,    100-109,   166. 
Pisano,  18,  106. 
Pitti  Palace,  171,  172. 
Plates,  G,  39. 
Plans,  54,  55,  131,  132,  205,  209, 

211. 
Pointed  Arch,  15,  118,  127,  134. 
Ponte  Vecchio,  170. 
Porch,  G,  80. 
Port  Cullis,  G,  115. 
Portico,  G,  27,  64,  72. 
Principality,  25. 
Principles,  7-12,  26. 
Prophylon,  G,  27. 
Proportion,  G,  25,  39,  41,  72. 
Pulpit,   102,   109,   114. 
Pyramids,  16,  20,  21,  23-26. 

Rainaldo,   lor. 

Raphael,  66,  159,  180,  182,  183. 
Ravenna,  74,  75,  78. 
Religion,  4,  31. 

Renaissance    Architecture,    157- 
200. 

Features  of,  i6r-i66. 

Also    see,    14,    18,    19,    53,    70, 
147,    ISO. 
Repetition,  24. 
Repose,  41. 
Restoration,  137. 
Revivals,  202,  203,  204. 
Ribbed  vaulting,  17. 
Ribs,  168. 

Richardson    (H.  H.),  215,  216. 
Rococo,  G,  18,  19,  165,  202. 
Rock-cut-tombs,  20. 
Roman  Architecture,  49-70,  203. 

Features  of,  52,  53. 

Orders,  55,  56,  57'. 


Anecdotes,  65,  66. 
Romanesque     Architecture,     93- 

IIO. 

Features  of,  95-100. 

Anecdotes,  108,  109. 

See   also,    13,    14,   52,   72,    117, 
132,   145,   166. 
Romans,  14,  16,  126,  162. 
Rome,  4,  51,  62,  65,  69,  77,  93, 

161,  174,  179. 
Rood-screen,  G. 
Rood  steeple,  138. 
Roof,  72,  128,  220. 
Rosetta  stone,  27. 
Rotunda,  G,  64. 
Rouen,  17,  123,  131,  165. 
Round  arch,  14,  95,  102. 
Ruskin,  103. 

St.   Angelo,  Rome,   114. 

Appollinare,  16,  74,  184. 

Croce,  153. 

George's     Chapel,     117.     Hall, 
203. 

Maria  della  Salute,   186,   187. 

Mark's,  Venice,  74,  76,  78-83, 
98,  201. 

Paul's,  London,  121,  193-197. 

Paul's,  Rome,   16,  74,  75,   161. 

Peter's,  Rome,  24,  74,  114,  156, 
161,  173-178,  180,  181,  195. 

Sophia,  77,  78. 
Saracenic  Architecture,  85-92. 

Features  of,  86-89. 

Anecdotes,  90,  91. 

See  also,  13,  16. 
Savonarola,  170. 
Scott,  Sir  Walter,  112. 
Sculptures,  32,  41,  43,  64,  67,  69, 
70,  80,  83,  86,  96,    100,   124, 
133,   139,  146,   185.  217. 
Scroll,  G. 
Sens,   17. 
Seville,   17. 

Seven-branched  candlestick,  70. 
Shakespeare,   121. 
Sill,  39-. 
Simplicity,    24,    26,    42,    45,    72, 

149,  164. 
Sistine  Chapel,   178. 
Sky-scraper,  5,  212,  213. 


246 


Index 


Spain,  17,  19,  85. 

Span,  71,  127. 

Spandrel,  G,  69. 

Sphinx,  26. 

Spire,  82,  131,   146,  155. 

Stained  glass,  134,  135,  136. 

Strasburg,  17,  123. 

Strength,  7,  11,  46,  117. 

Structure,  G,  21,  22,  53,  71,  138, 

161,  162,  212. 
Styles,  6,  14,  36,  53,  93,  and  see 

table. 
Suitability,  81. 
Sully,  17,  143. 
Symbols,  133. 
Symmetry,  G,  25,   139. 
Symonds  (J.  A.),  44. 

Tables,   11,    16-19. 

Taj  Mahal,  16,  92. 

Tangier,  87. 

Temples,  26,  33,  39,  47,  48. 

Tents,  206. 

Tepee,  3. 

Terms,  12. 

Terrace,  119. 

Terra  Gotta,  88. 

Texture,  G,  87,  88,  89,  163. 

Theaters,  41,  57. 

Thebes,  29. 

Thermae,  67. 

Thrust,  G,  65,  128,  129. 

Tiles,  G,  16,  86,  90. 

Titus,  Arch  of,  69,  70. 

Tombs,  66,  92. 

Tower  of  London,  114,  117. 

Towers,  90,  97,  115. 

Tracery,  G,   17,   130,   131,   147. 

Trajan,  69. 

Transepts,  G,  96,  139. 

Transition,   146. 

Triforium,   G. 

Truss,  G,  71. 

Tudor,  148,  ISO. 


Tunis,  85. 
Turret,  G,  112. 
Tuscan  order,  55,  56,  93. 
Types,  13. 

Unity,  142,  162. 
Utility,  22. 

Variety,  24, 

Vasari,  167,  169,  170,  173,  182. 

Vatican,  18,  177,  178. 

Vaulting,   G,    16,   58,  65,  95,  96, 

99,  109,  130,  138. 
Veneer,  G,  79,  80,  83. 
Venice,  75,  81,  83,  183-188. 
Verona,  57. 
Vermicular,  G,  191. 
Versailles,   188. 
Vezelay,  107,  109. 
Village,  207. 
Vischer,  19. 
Vitruvius,  70. 
Volute,  G,  S7. 

Walls,  116,  117,  135,  145. 
Washington,  George,  209. 
Wealth,  5. 
Well-curbs,  184. 
Wells  cathedral,  132. 
Westminster  Abbey,  17,  144,  147, 

148-150. 
Wheel  window,  G,  135,  139,  140. 
Whitehall,  199. 
Windows,    10,   96,   97,    135,    136, 

139,  163. 
Windsor  Castle,  82,  112,  114,  117- 

121,  198. 
Wingless  Victory,  37. 
Woolworth  building.  212. 
Wren,    118,    193,    194,    197,    198, 

199,  200. 
Wykeman,  17,  120,  198. 

Zigzag  molding,  147. 


I 


soo^S^-™* 


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S"B00  692  735     4 


